Commander Abhilash Tomy, a pilot in the Indian Navy and skipper in the Golden Globe Race (GGR), was rescued on 24 September after being dismasted in the southern Indian Ocean. His yacht was severely damaged due to 14-metre high waves on 21 September. Multinational efforts were made to track down his boat Thuriya and Commander Tomy after he sent out distress signals using his satellite phone and a texting unit.
The yachtsman was lying in 3rd place in the Golden Globe Race when he and fellow competitor, Irishman Gregor McGuckin, were overtaken by a 70 knot storm on Friday. Tomy, who had reported severe back injuries, was unable to move from his bunk, but heard the plane fly overhead and acknowledged this by turning his emergency beacon off and on.
Thirty-nine-year-old Commander Tomy is the first Indian, only the second Asian and overall the seventy-ninth person in the world to complete a solo, unassisted, non-stop circumnavigation under sail. Starting from the Gateway of India on 1 November 2012, it took him 151 days to navigate 23,100 nautical miles and return on 31 March 2013.
Tomy was awarded the Kirti Chakra (second highest peacetime gallantry award in India), Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award and the MacGregor medal for his valuable military reconnaissance. He has also covered 52,000 miles under sail while in the Navy.
One of India’s most prominent sailors, Tomy had spoken with excitement of embarking on the Golden Globe Race, which was a competition to sail solo, non-stop around the world covering 30,000 miles, via the five Great Capes and return to Les Sables-d’Olonne, from where the race had begun. He was the only Indian participating in the race that involves sailing without modern technology or benefit of satellite-based navigation aids.
“This event recreates in the closest way possible way, the magic of the original race. The emphasis is not on technology and its management, but on seamanship and a direct experience of sea. This spartan philosophy is in keeping with my own view that a lot can be achieved with very little.”Commander Tomy had said about Golden Globe Race 2018
He has also represented India in the 2011 Cape Town to Rio Race, the Spanish Copa del Rey Race in 2014 and the Korea Cup for two years in succession.
Though originally from Alappuzha, Tomy spent much of his childhood in Naval bases across the country since his father was in the Naval police, according to The Indian Express.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)