India
Abhilash Tomy suffered a back injury on Friday after the yacht was dismasted due to extremely rough weather and sea condition in the Indian Ocean.
New Delhi: Injured Golden Globe Race (GGR) skipper and Indian Naval officer Abhilash Tomy was rescued from the sea by the French vessel Osiris. He is likely to be taken to R/V Australian Naval ship HMAS Ballarat, which has left Perth to bring him. He suffered a back injury on Friday after the yacht was dismasted due to extremely rough weather and sea condition in the Indian Ocean.
Tomy, representing India in the Golden Globe Race 2018 (GGR) on an indigenously built sailing vessel 'Thuriya', was dismasted on Friday. According to the Indian Navy, Commander Tomy is in contact with the Race Control at France, which is relaying messages to JRCC Australia.
Commander Tomy has requested for a stretcher as he is not able to move on his own, the Indian Navy said. Commander Tomy is representing India in the GGR 2018 on an indigenously built sailing vessel 'Thuriya'. The yacht is in the south Indian Ocean. The GGR is a race to sail around the globe.
He is in the south Indian Ocean, approximately 1900 nautical miles from Perth, Australia and about 2700 nautical miles from Cape Comorin.
Tomy has been rescued in conjunction with many agencies including the Australian Defence Department and the Indian Navy, the Navy said in a statement.
"Spoke to VCNS VAdm Ajit Kumar P, AVSM, VSM regarding the condition of injured navy officer @abhilashtomy. The Rescue Mission is being coordinated with the Australian Navy. The injured officer shall be picked up in the next 16 hrs by a French vessel Osiris," the defence minister tweeted.
The Indian Navy sources said the capability of the P8i has been a "humongous force multiplier" and the Australian MRCC a huge input into the state of Thuriya for planning purposes.
An Indian Naval defence attaché in Australia is camping in regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), the Navy sources said.
Continuous watch over the boat is being maintained by the Indian Navy and RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) aircraft till the rescue is completed.
"Indian Naval stealth frigate, INS Satpura with a Chetak Helicopter and tanker INS Jyoti operating in the Indian Ocean have been dispatched for the rescue mission. The officer in his last text message has indicated that he is safe on the boat; however, he is immobile due to back injury," the statement added.
Read Exclusive COVID-19 Coronavirus News updates, at MyNation.