New Delhi, Sep 24: A French vessel Osiris will rescue Commander Abhilash Tomy today after an Indian Navy aircraft managed to locate his boat Thuriya nearly 3,300km from the Australian coast. Commander Abhilash Tomy was severely injured on Friday when his 10-metre yacht de-masted in extreme weather that saw 14-metre high waves during the Golden Globe Race.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said the Australian Navy was coordinating with the Rescue Mission, and Abhilash Tommy will be recused by the French vessel Osiris by Monday. In his recent distress message on Sunday, Tomy requested for a stretcher and complained of vomiting and chest pain, according to the organisers of the Golden Globe Race.
The Indian sailor was in touch with the Race Control at France. "Commander Abhilash Tomy of the Indian Navy, representing India in the Golden Globe Race 2018 is in the south Indian Ocean, approximately 1,900 nautical miles south-west from Perth, Australia and about 2,700 nautical miles from Cape Comorin... All efforts are being made to rescue him," the Navy said.
#IndianNavy P8i launched from Port Louis Mauritius at 0200h this morning establishes visual contact with Thuriya & has landed back. Thuriya mast broken & hanging on the side.
Sea state 4/5(waves 10-12ft) with Heavy clouding & rains in area. @ggr2018official @DefenceMinIndia pic.twitter.com/vZrmGYTJPP
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) September 23, 2018
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.#GoldenGlobeRace2018
— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) September 23, 2018
"Indian Navy P-8I aircraft operating ex-Mauritius has visually sighted 'Thuriya' (the boat in which he was sailing) on Sunday. Continuous watch over the ship is being maintained by Indian Navy and RAAF aircraft", and this will continue till the rescue operation is completed, it said. The Navy said that INS Satpura with a Chetak Helicopter and tanker had been dispatched for the rescue mission.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 24, 2018 09:48 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).