The Indian Navy on Wednesday released a new picture of the Navy Commander Abhilash Tomy, who was rescued from damaged sailboat in the remote southern Indian Ocean during the Golden Globe Race.
Tomy, who is under treatment in a hospital at Amsterdam Isle, detailed his experience of the survival to the Navy.
“The sea was unbelievably rough. Me and my boat Thuriya were pitched against the nature’s might. I survived because of my sailing skills, the soldier bit in me and my Naval training cut-in for that fight. Very thankful to Indian Navy and all who rescued me,” he said.
Tomy was drifting for nearly three days in his 32-feet long yacht, Thuriya, which was damaged in a storm. Vessels and naval assets in the vicinity were deployed for his rescue.
Thuriya had tossed in the face of high tides before stabilising. Tomy texted through satellite-based device requesting for evacuation stating his back was injured and he was unable to move.
He was participating in the Golden Globe Race, where 11 participants are using 1968 vintage boats and technology to circumnavigate solo and non-stop.
The sea was unbelievably rough. Me & my boat Thuriya were pitched against the nature's might. I survived because of my sailing skills, the soldier bit in me and my Naval training cut-in for that fight – Cdr Abhilash Tomy. Very thankful to #IndianNavy & all who rescued me pic.twitter.com/vNhZN2fJjj
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) 26 September 2018
The race is being held to celebrate the golden anniversary of first such solo circumnavigation in 1968.
Videos and pictures of Tomy’s evacuation by the crew of Osiris were released by the Indian Navy and the Australian authorities, whose reconnaissance aircraft were in the skies whilst the rescue happened.
The pictures show Tomy being pulled out on a stretcher from the cabin of Thuriya and then carefully lowered into a small raft which had come to fetch him from the Osiris located nearby.
Tomy was placed third in the race when he faced the storm
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