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Thuriya left France early July for the race around the world
An international rescue team is trying to reach a seriously injured Indian sailor who is competing in the Golden Globe round-the-world race.
The solo sailing ship Abhilash Tomy is stuck 3,200 km off the coast of Western Australia.
Her yacht Thuriya had her mast broken during a violent storm in the Indian Ocean.
He was able to send a message saying that he was suffering from a serious back injury and that he was immobilized, unable to eat or drink.
The storm caused winds of 70 knots and waves of 14 meters (45 feet), which destroyed twice the yacht of the Dutch Mark Slats.
Most of the race's 18 competitors were further north and avoided the worst of the storm, organizers said.
An Irish competitor, Gregor McGuckin, whose own yacht has been damaged by the storm, has set up a temporary platform and is attempting to travel 150 kilometers to Tomy's position.
A French fishing boat is also in the area, but it may take several days to reach the scene.
An Australian Air Force aircraft must fly over the area. and evaluate the navigability of Thuriya.
Race organizers said Tomy was "unfit on his bunk inside his boat … as far from help as possible."
"The Australian Rescue Coordination Center is working hard to evaluate and coordinate all possible options to save Abhilash Tomy," the organizers said.
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Abhilash Tomy has already been around the world once in 2013
The commander of the 39-year-old Indian Navy communicates using an SMS sending unit, after his satellite phone has been broken.
Saturday, he sent a message saying: "Extremely difficult to walk, may need stretcher, can not walk, thank you safe inside the boat … Phone phone."
Tomy has a spare satellite phone in an emergency bag, but he can not reach him for the moment.
The Golden Globe race involves a one-handed circumnavigation of the globe – a distance of 30,000 miles – without using modern technology, except for satellite communications, competitors began in France on July 1.
In 2013, Tomy became the first Indian to tour the world.
The Thuriya is a replica of Suhail by Robin Knox-Johnston, winner of the first Golden Globe race in 1968.
