Indian Navy officer is safe
The official was representing India in Golden Globe Race
S. Vishnu Sharma, INN/Chennai, @svs037
Commander Abhilash Tomy KC of Indian Navy has indicated that he is safe in his last message through sat phone. However he is said to be immobile owing to a back injury. According to sources from Defence Ministry, the boat he was sailing got dismasted due to which he is said to have suffered a back injury.
Abhilash Tomy was taking part in Golden Globe Race 2018 (GGR) and was sailing on an indigenously built vessel ‘Thuriya’ as a part of it. He was representing India in the race, sources said. He is said to be in the south Indian Ocean, approximately 1900 nautical miles from Perth, Australia and 2700 nm (approximately 5020 kms on ground) from Cape Comorin (Kanyakumari).
Rescue atmosphere
According to SITREP received from JRCC of Australia, Tommy is in communication with the Race Control at France through messages. Race control is relaying messages to JRCC Australia. He has requested for stretcher as he is not able to move on his own. Another contestant SV Hanley Energy Endurance, although suffered damages herself, is heading towards SV Thuraya. Australian Fisheries vessel Osiris is heading towards location. Osiris has a Medical Officer and one bed infirmery on-board. A Royal Australian Navy Ship is likely to depart for location, with ETA after 4-5 days. A P8I aircraft also will be available from 23 Sep onwards. A civil aircraft is being tasked , to be in area by around 230230 UTC
Thuriya was dismasted in extremely rough weather and sea condition as it had to encounter wind speeds of 130 kmph and 10 metre high waves. He was in third position, out of 11 international participants. He has sailed over 10,500 nautical miles in the last 84 days, since commencement of the race on 1 July this year.
Authorities concerned have said that efforts were on to rescue Abhilash. The Australian Rescue Coordination Centre at Canberra is coordinating the rescue mission in conjunction with many agencies including the Australian Defence Department and the Indian Navy.
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, say the sources.