Commander Tomy’s rescue operation Highlights: Indian Navy releases video and images of Naval Commander’s vessel

President Ram Nath Kovind not only expressed relief on the rescue operation of Abhilash Tomy but also, appreciated Australian and French efforts in the operation. He also wished the Commander speedy recovery.

Relieved Indian Navy Commander @abhilashtomy has been rescued from his location in the southern Indian Ocean. Appreciate our French and Australian friends for being part of the maritime effort to reach and assist this brave voyager. I wish him a speedy recovery #PresidentKovind

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) September 24, 2018

Great to hear that officer @abhilashtomy has been rescued, kudos to all rescue teams & salute his bravery for remaining afloat there despite such adverse circumstances

— Jaiveer Shergill (@JaiveerShergill) September 24, 2018

A sense of relief to know that naval officer @abhilashtomy is rescued by the French fishing vessel. He's concious and doing okay. The vessel will shift him to a nearby island (I'lle Amsterdam) by evening. INS Satpura will take him to Mauritius for medical attention. @PIB_India

— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) September 24, 2018

VIDEO | First visuals of Indian Naval Commander Abhilash Tony’s boat (Sunday). Tomy has been rescued by a French vessel Osiris. He’s safe. pic.twitter.com/CaBFpk60nY

— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) September 24, 2018

REPORT JUST IN from JRCC they have him BRAVO!! OSIRIS AND ALL INVOLVED! They have Tomy Onboard and he is conscious and talking...FANTASTIC NEWS..WELL DONE ALL INVOLVED INCREDIBLE NEWS!!!!https://t.co/w0ykzwrfX3

— Golden Globe Race 2018 (@ggr2018official) September 24, 2018

He has been rescued and has been pulled out on a stretcher by French Fishing Vessel Osiris. He is conscious and is in safe hands: Navy Spokesperson Captain DK Sharma on Commander and Golden Globe Race (GGR) skipper Abhilash Tomy pic.twitter.com/oMNgoZ445t

— ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2018

Gregor McGuckin, who was closing in on Tomy, also asked for a 'CONTROLED EVACUATION' of himself. He was NOT in distress but felt it was the responsible option to take now that all rescue assets are close at hand.

Golden Globe Race Commander Abhilash Tomy has been rescued in a conscious state and shifted to French fishing vessel Osiris.

Tomy rescued safely @nsitharaman @pmo @Australian_Navy @DefenceMinIndia @ggr2018official @SpokespersonMoD pic.twitter.com/G3z7mlLGu3

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) September 24, 2018

Tomy’s ‘Thuriya’ is a replica of 1968 winner Robin Knox-Johnston’s 32-foot wooden sailboat.  The only boats allowed in the competition are of traditional construction, with no modern, faster designs. 

Commander Tomy’s boat Thuriya was dismasted in extremely rough weather and sea conditions, amidst wind speeds of 130 kmph and 10-metre-high waves. The Kirti Chakra awardee was in the third position in the race with 11 international participants, having sailed over 10,500 nautical miles in the last 84 days, since setting off from Les Sables-d’Olonne in France.

@ggr2018official Help is reaching @abhilashtomy in a few hours from now. We hope to get Tomy, who is injured, out of the damaged boat Thuriya and attend to him ASAP @Australian_Navy @DefenceMinIndia @SpokespersonMoD pic.twitter.com/JwjyvoDn9C

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) September 24, 2018

When interviewed last year, Tomy had particularly relished this aspect of the challenge, saying, “We won’t be allowed to use any new technology that has been developed since then. If it didn’t exist in 1968, we can’t use it. So that means no GPS, electronic watches, electronic compass, electronic meter. We are permitted to use LED lights, a few solar panels and wind generators.”

The GGR is being organised to celebrate 50 years since the 1968-69 Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, to complete an unassisted, solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the world via the Great Capes. A key feature of the race is that circumnavigation is being attempted under the same conditions as the original 1968 around-the-world-yacht race.

On March 31, 2013, Tomy had become the first Indian to complete a solo non-stop circumnavigation of the world by boat, an around-the-world trip that began on November 1, 2012.

The commander’s friends have been in touch with another participant, Gregor McGuckin, an Ireland national whose yacht Biscay 36 Hanley Energy Endurance was also dismasted in the same storm. He is expected to reach Tomy in the next 10 hours, sources said Sunday evening. 

The Indian Navy had dispatched the Indian Naval stealth frigate INS Satpura with Chetak helicopter and tanker INS Jyoti along with P-8i following the alert. The earliest that INS Satpura can arrive at the location would be Friday, the Navy spokesperson said.

The P-8i aircraft, which was launched from Port Louis in Mauritius, landed back after nine hours on Sunday having established visual contact with Thuriya, said a defence spokesperson. “Commander Tomy responded by ping on EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) as the aircraft was flying over him,” the spokesperson said.

Commander Abhilash Tomy sent distress messages from his vessel following the injury.  The Australian Defence Force also joined the mission to rescue him. Tomy sent his first satellite text message on Saturday, saying, “ACTIVATED EPIRB. CANT WALK. MIGHT NEED STRETCHER”, GGR organisers said in a statement. A subsequent message read: “CAN MOVE TOES. FEEL NUMB. CAN’T EAT OR DRINK. TOUGH 2 REACH GRAB BAG”.

Abhilash #Tomy (via satellite) 5LUGGED CANS OF ICETEA. HAVING THAT.VOMITTING CONT.CHEST BURNIN / BACS À BILLES DE THÉ ICED. AYANT QUE VOMISSEMENT CONT.CHEST BURNING https://t.co/oIOKa2le6m

— Golden Globe Race 2018 (@ggr2018official) September 23, 2018

The GGR is being organised to celebrate 50 years since the 1968-69 Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, to complete an unassisted, solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the world via the Great Capes. A key feature of the race is that circumnavigation is being attempted under the same conditions as the original 1968 around-the-world-yacht race.When interviewed last year, Tomy had particularly relished this aspect of the challenge, saying, “We won’t be allowed to use any new technology that has been developed since then. If it didn’t exist in 1968, we can’t use it. So that means no GPS, electronic watches, electronic compass, electronic meter. We are permitted to use LED lights, a few solar panels and wind generators.” 

Tomy is the only Indian in the GGR, that involves a gruelling 30,000-miles solo circumnavigation of the globe in a yacht with no modern technology except communication equipment. Originally from Alappuzha, Tommy grew up in Naval bases around the country, since his father was in the Naval police.

The Kirti Chakra awardee was in the third position in the race with 11 international participants, having sailed over 10,500 nautical miles in the last 84 days, since setting off from Les Sables-d’Olonne in France.

Stranded on the high seas, Indian Naval Commander Abhilash Tomy, who suffered a serious back injury while representing India in the international solo circumnavigation Golden Globe Race (GGR) 2018, will be picked up by the French fisheries patrol vessel Osiris in the next 16 hours, an Indian Navy spokesperson said Sunday evening. Read more

HMAS Ballarat is on its way assist an injured solo yachtsman, approximately 1800 nautical miles off the WA coast, the Royal Australian navy tweeted earlier.Twitter/Australian_Navy

Continuous watch over the boat is being maintained by Indian Navy and RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) aircraft till rescue is completed, the Indian navy said in a statement.

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

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.