Finnish sailor’s yacht sinks during Golden Globe Race, Abhilash Tomy first to respond
Times of India | 12 hours ago | 19-11-2022 | 08:23 am
Times of India
12 hours ago | 19-11-2022 | 08:23 am
PANAJI: Bringing back memories of the horrific 2018 accident that struck Indian circumnavigator Abhilash Tomy in the southern Indian Ocean, tragedy once again struck the Golden Globe Race (GGR). Finnish sailor Tapio Lehtinen’s yacht sank on Friday afternoon around 460 nautical miles off South Africa while in second position. Tomy, whose mind immediately recalled the international rescue efforts that saved his life in 2018, immediately radioed the GGR crisis management team in Les Sables d’Olonne and diverted course towards Lehtinen’s position. “Fingers crossed for Tapio. Sailing with dispatch. Should have him onboard by evening tomorrow,” said Tomy. His sponsors also reached out to representatives in South Africa to arrange for drones to do an aerial reconnaissance over Lehtinen’s location. At 2.52pm, Lehtinen activated his emergency satellite tracking and texting device, informing the GGR crisis team that he is in distress. According to GGR officials, Lehtinen’s yacht, the Asteria, began to take in water from the stern and sank in a very short time. “I gave Asteria a last salute standing in the raft as she went down,” said Lehtinen in a text message to race officials. Weather conditions near the accident site are “manageable with light winds and 2.5-metre swells”, said the GGR organisers. Kirsten Neuschafer, one of the most experienced skippers in the race, who was closest to the Asteria, has also diverted to rescue Lehtinen. “Kirsten is motoring and should have favourable winds later, expecting to be in the zone on Saturday morning. Forecasts suggest moderating conditions over the next two days,” said GGR officials. The accident will bring back memories of the September 18, 2018 storm that damaged three yachts that were racing in the 50th anniversary edition of the daunting 30,000-mile race. The storm not only destroyed Tomy’s vessel, the Thuriya, but also left him nearly crippled in one of the remotest parts of the Indian Ocean. This time around, Tomy is sailing a Rustler 36, a 35-foot yacht that was previously raced in the last Golden Globe by Philippe Péché. “We are worried for Tapio and for Abhilash. He was the first to acknowledge the distress message and to divert his course,” said Tomy’s wife Urmimala while talking to TOI. The South African maritime rescue coordination center has also been alerted, and a bulk carrier, Darya Gayatri, has been asked to join the rescue efforts. Tomy’s accident in 2018 and the sinking of Lehtinen's yacht once again highlight the perils of the extreme sport of solo circumnavigation. On September 18, another GGR participant, Guy De Boer and his Tashiba 36 yacht SPIRIT, hit some rocks about 50m off the beach of the Las Palmas Island in the Canary Islands. Boer had to swim to the shore and his vessel had to be salvaged using a crane the next day.
![Finnish sailor’s yacht sinks during Golden Globe Race, Abhilash Tomy first to respond]()
