Injured Stricken Solo Yachtsman Rescued

The stricken yacht SV Thuriya courtesy of AMSA

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has successfully coordinated a multi-national search and rescue for injured solo yachtsman, Abhilash Tomy.

An Indian Armed Forces P-8 aircraft sighted the stricken yacht SV Thuriya on Sunday approximately 3,500 kilometers (2,200 miles) west of Perth in remote seas and in bad weather.

AMSA tasked a French fisheries patrol vessel, FPV Osiris, to respond, and Tomy has now been rescued.

Tomy was participating in the Golden Globe Yacht Race and injured his back when his 10-meter (33-foot) yacht rolled 360 degrees and dismasted in rough weather on Friday night. He indicated in a message that he is unable to move.

Tomy’s first message, sent a satellite text on Saturday, read: “ACTIVATED EPIRB. CANT WALK. MIGHT NEED STRETCHER.” A subsequent message read: “CAN MOVE TOES. FEEL NUMB. CAN’T EAT OR DRINK. TOUGH 2 REACH GRAB BAG.”

According to race organizers, his latest message before rescue read: “LUGGED CANS OF ICE TEA. HAVING THAT.VOMITTING CONTINUINGLY. CHEST BURNING Position: 39′ 33.512 S 077′ 41.608 E”

The crew of the Osiris report that he is conscious and talking. He is now receiving first aid.

The 2018 Golden Globe Race is a sailing race around the world which started on July 1, 2018 from Les Sables-d’Olonne, France.

In 2013, Tomy was the first Indian to circumnavigate the globe.