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A multinational rescue operation is underway to try to reach a wounded sailor whose yacht is disabled in the South Indian Ocean. Abhilash Tomy, a 39-year-old Indian naval commander, was competing in the 2018 Golden Globe Race – a 30,000-mile non-stop solo yachting competition that prevents the use of modern technology – when his boat hit a thunderstorm.
A multinational rescue operation is underway to try to reach a wounded sailor whose yacht is disabled in the South Indian Ocean.
Abhilash Tomy, a 39-year-old Indian naval commander, was competing in the 2018 Golden Globe Race – a 30,000-mile non-stop solo yachting competition that prevents the use of modern technology – when his boat hit a thunderstorm.
Tomy's 36-foot boat, Thuriya, was one of several winds of 80 mph and 46-foot seas in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Friday, 82 days after the start of the race, according to organizers.
Thuriya's mast was broken about 1,900 miles southwest of Perth, Australia, "at the extreme edge of the immediate relief zone," they said in a series of media reports.
The organizers were worried after Tomy sent a text message stating "ROLLED. REMOVED. SERIOUS INJURY. CAN NOT FOCUS ", then we heard about him for almost 15 hours.
In a subsequent satellite text message, the seafarer indicated his position and wrote: "EPIRB ACTIVATED (Emergency Locator Transmitter). CANT WALK. This might require a toad.
The race indicated that later posts indicated that Tomy was safe, but that he was immobilized in his berth. FEEL NUMB. CAN NOT EAT OR DRINK. TOUGH 2 REACH GRAB BAG. "
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Canberra, Australia, is responsible for rescue operations.
Race organizers posted a photo on Facebook early Sunday of the Thuriya taken from an Indian Navy aircraft and showing the sails of the ship in the water.
The organizers said in the message that Tomy was able to tell them by SMS that he had heard the plane fly.
A business jet was also sent from Perth, Australia, with the crew assessing damage to Tomy's boat. The crew was planning to make radio contact with him early Sunday, but Tomy's communications equipment batteries have since died, the organizers said on Facebook.
Rescuers will also check Irish skipper Gregor McGuckin, whose boat was launched in the same storm and which was about 90 miles from Tomy, the organizers said. McGuckin had installed a makeshift rig on his boat and was trying to reach Tomy using a mixture of wind and engine power.
The Australian, Indian and French navies also send ships to help them.
A French patrol ship with medical facilities on board should reach Tomy first, while Indian authorities are dispatching a military plane from Mauritius and hijacking a stealth frigate and tanker exercises off South Africa.
The Australian authorities send an Anzac class frigate, but it will take four to five days to reach Tomy.
Ukrainian navigator Uku Randmaa is also trying to reach disabled boats.
Race organizers said Sunday that bad weather will delay the arrival of the first ship to Tomy until Tuesday. McGuckin could reach Tomy on Monday.
Origins of the race
The 2018 Golden Globe fleet took off on 1 July from Les Sables d'Olonne in France. The race is by invitation only and requires an at sea experience of at least 8,000 miles and a solo experience of at least 2,000 miles.
Eighteen ships started this year's race – marking the 50th anniversary of the original race – but on September 10, seven of the boats had pulled out of the competition.
In line with the 1968 race, skippers have to navigate using paper cards and stars, with no watermaker on board.
However, the boats of 2018 are equipped with modern technologies to ensure the safety of their skippers.
Sailors have the ability to send textual reports of 100 characters per satellite twice a day and use a satellite phone to perform a weekly security check.
Each boat also carries a sealed safe containing a GPS and a second satellite phone, but breaking the seal disqualifies a sailor from the race.
Race organizers also track boats by GPS – although sailors can not see the data.
Tomy's boat is a replica of Robin Knox-Johnston's yacht Suhaili.
Knox-Johnston won the first edition of the Golden Globe, becoming the first person to sail solo all over the world non-stop. His trip took 312 days and he was the only one of the nine skippers who started the race.
Knox-Johnston expressed concern for Tomy on Twitter Sunday morning.
"Very concerned about @ abhilashtomy's injuries and will be happy when help can reach him," he said.
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