Indian Navy Commander Abhilash Tomy brought back to India after Golden Globe Race injury

Indian Navy Commander Abhilash Tomy, who was rescued from the Indian Ocean on September 24, three days after he suffered a severe injury when the main mast of his boat was ripped off in a storm, was brought back to India on Saturday.

Tomy was brought to Visakhapatnam by an Indian Navy frigate INS Satpura from Indian Ocean island Ile Amsterdam, where he was taken after being rescued.

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The Indian Navy deployed its P-8i surveillance aircraft as part of the rescue mission. A French vessel, Osiris, was also deployed in the rescue mission. 

Tomy had suffered a back injury after his yacht was hit by a storm with 14-metre-high waves mid-way while participating in the Golden Globe Race across the south Indian Ocean on September 21. His vessel was located by an Indian Navy aircraft. He was representing India in the race on an indigenously-built sailing vessel ‘S V Thuraya’. 

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The Golden Globe Race involves a gruelling 30,000-mile 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.

The 39-year-old Kirti Chakra winner created history when he successfully undertook a solo mission, circumnavigating the globe non-stop on a boat powered by winds, in 2013.

(With agency inputs)