Commander Tomy to be rescued in next 16 hours: Indian Navy

The Indian Navy on Sunday said that Golden Globe Race (GGR) skipper and Indian Naval officer, Commander Abhilash Tomy, will be rescued by the French vessel Osiris in the next 16 hours.

The Indian Navy further said that Commander Tomy would then be picked up by Australian Naval ship HMAS Ballarat, which has already left Perth to bring him back. It added that INS Satpura would arrive at Tomy's current location by Friday.

"Commander Abhilash Tomy shall be picked up in next 16 hrs by French vessel Osiris. Thereafter likely to rendezvous Australian Naval ship HMAS Ballarat, which has left Perth to bring him. Earliest arrival of our ship INSSatpura in current location can be only by Friday," the Indian Navy said.

"Capability of our P-8I aircraft has been a humongous force multiplier who has given us and the Australian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) a huge input into the state of Thuriya for planning purposes. Indian Naval Defence Attache' in Australia is camping in regional MRCC," it added.

A P-8I aircraft will be available from September 23 onwards, while a civil aircraft is being tasked to be in the area by around 2:30 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

Earlier in the day, the Indian Navy had informed that Commander Abhilash Tomy KC, who suffered a back injury at the sea after the yacht he was sailing in got dismasted, is in communication with the Race Control at France through messages, which is relaying messages to JRCC Australia.

Commander Tomy had requested for a stretcher as he is not able to move on his own, the Indian Navy had earlier said.

Commander Tomy is representing India in the GGR 2018 on an indigenously built sailing vessel 'Thuriya'. The yacht is in the south Indian Ocean. The GGR is a race to sail around the globe.

On Friday, he suffered a back injury after the yacht was dismasted due to extremely rough weather and sea condition in the Indian Ocean.

Commander Tomy, in his last message via satellite phone, had indicated that he was safe on the boat but was immobile due to a back injury.

The naval officer is the only Indian to have circumnavigated the globe non-stop on the legendary sail Yacht INSV Mhadei. He was awarded Kirti Chakra in 2013 by then President of India, Pranab Mukherjee.

He is also a recipient of the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award.