Golden Globe Race: Solo sailors ‘stable’ after Southern Ocean rescue during non-stop circumnavigation
Indian Abhilash Tomy and Irishman Gregor McGuckin both saved after Tomy was too injured to even reach his radio
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Two solo yachtsman stranded in the remote Indian Ocean during a round-the-world race were in a “good and stable condition” after being rescued in an multinational mission, Australian authorities said on Tuesday.
The yachts of Indian Abhilash Tomy and Irishman Gregor McGuckin, competitors in the Golden Globe race, were damaged during a storm on Friday, leaving them marooned some 3,500 kilometres off Australia’s west coast.
Tomy, a 39-year-old navy commander, was badly injured during the storm and on his bunk unable to move, race organisers said.
As part of an international effort to reach the men, both sailors were located and brought on board French fisheries patrol vessel FPV Osiris on Monday.
“Both sailors at this stage are reported to be good and in a stable condition,” Al Lloyd of co-ordinating agency the Australian Maritime Safety Authority told reporters in Canberra.
Lloyd said the men were due to arrive at a nearby Indian Ocean island Ile Amsterdam later on Tuesday, where they would be assessed by doctors.
McGuckin, 32, was not injured but said he wanted to abandon his yacht after it was damaged.
He made his way to Tomy in an attempt to assist him, and arrived at the same time as Osiris, Lloyd said.
At this stage, the plans were for them to be transferred onto the Royal Australian Navy’s frigate HMAS Ballarat due to arrive at the island on Friday, and brought to Australia, he added.
The Golden Globe Race involves a gruelling 48,200km non-stop solo circumnavigation of the globe in yachts similar to those used in the first race 50 years ago, with no modern technology allowed except the communications equipment.
In the 1968 edition of the race, only Robin Know-Johnson finished and most other competitors did not even reach the Atlantic Ocean.
Tomy’s own yacht was a replica of Robin Knox-Johnston’s Suhaili, winner of the first Golden Globe Race.
