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Lakewood Times

Lakewood Times

Lakewood Times

    Yachtsman Rescued in South Indian Ocean

    Yachtsman Rescued in South Indian Ocean

    Abhilash Tomy, 39-year-old yachtsman and Indian Naval officer, began the Golden Globe Race on July 1st, 2018. In the South Indian Ocean, Tomy was just barely rescued after sustaining serious spinal injuries from an unexpected storm. Wait, wait, wait, what race? Let’s start from the beginning.

    The Golden Globe Race begins in Les Sables-D’Olonne France and ends at that same port, after making it through four gates around the world. The trip itself is 30,000 miles long and has to be done by a solo yachtsman, without the use of modern navigation technology. The fastest the race has ever been completed is in 274 days, but for some brave yachtsmen, this treacherous race is worth the notoriety of just doing it. The Golden Globe Race began in 1968 with nine men but only one finished. This nearly year-long race against nature, wind and time has even driven a sailor to suicide. The Golden Globe Race is difficult to say the least, even without unexpected storms. Officer Tomy was caught in one of these unexpected storms, and his mast was forfeited in the process. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority says that the area where Tomy became stranded is,”one of the most remote areas on the planet.”

    Another sailor following a few nautical miles behind Tomy, 32-year old Gregor McGuckin, was also caught in this storm and left with a broken mast. Although in much better condition than Tomy and able to fasten a makeshift mast, both McGuckin and Tomy have been transferred to a hospital on Amsterdam Isle in the South Indian Ocean for X-rays. Another transfer must be made soon for Tomy at least, as the island is quite small in relation to the specialists needed.

     

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-25/abhilash-tomy-second-sailor-safe-after-golden-globe-race-rescues/10301848

     

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