24 September

Injured Golden Globe Race skipper, Abhilash Tomy has been rescued by the crew of a French patrol boat, Osiris.

The 39-year-old is reported to be conscious and talking.

His Suhaili-replica yacht, Thuriya was dismasted on Friday, some 1,900 miles south west of Perth, Australia.

The Indian Naval officer had reported to Race HQ that he couldn’t walk and had injured his back when his yacht was rolled 360 degrees in a storm in the Indian Ocean. He was confined to his bunk, unable to eat or drink.

Fellow competitor, Gregor McGuckin, whose Biscay 36, Hanley Energy Endurance was also dismasted, had been trying to make his way to Tomy under jury rig and engine, but problems with his engine left him struggling to reach his injured team mate.

The crew of the Osiris have now rescued McGuckin, who asked for a controlled evacuation, feeling it was the responsible option to take now that all rescue assets were in place.

In a statement, Neil O’Hagan, who is part of McGuckin’s shore team, said the Irish skipper’s condition was good and has suffered ‘nothing more than bumps and bruises’.

‘In an incredible show of seamanship, the 32-year-old Irishman managed to build a jury rig and hand steer his yacht Hanley Energy Endurance for the past four days to within 30 miles of his fellow competitor in order to be on site to assist with the rescue if required,’ said O’Hagan.

Gregor McGuckin has only sustained bruises. Credit: Nick Jaffe/PPL

‘McGuckin did not declare an emergency for his own situation despite being rolled over and losing his mast. However, given the extremely remote location and the condition of his yacht, it was deemed the appropriate course of action to abandon his yacht under a controlled evacuation scenario as the opportunity arose. The considered move ensures in the event that his own situation deteriorated in any attempt to reach land in the coming weeks a second rescue mission would not be required,’ the statement added.

Osiris, which has full medical facilities onboard, is now heading to Île Amsterdam where Tomy will be transferred to hospital for a full medical assessment.

21 September

Gregor McGuckin’s Golden Globe Race dream is over after a storm rolled his Biscay 36 Hanley Energy Endurance, 360 degrees and left the yacht dismasted in the Indian Ocean.

The 32-year-old, who is not injured, has cut away the rig and is now trying to decide how best to make it safely port.

Speaking to race HQ, McGuckin reported: ‘I’ve got rolled the main mast is gone.’

At the time, he was sailing downwind on bare poles with warps, and reported gusts of up to 70 knots and 12 metre high seas.

Just a few hours earlier the Irish skipper was knocked down, which broke his yacht’s mizzen mast.

Abhilash Tomy is now repairing a split in his mizzen boom after being knocked down. CREDIT: Christophe Favreau/PPL/GGR

Describing the conditions, McGuckin said: ‘The sea is just savage. I was going down a swell and a monster (wave) came in from the other side, there was nothing I could have done. I was lying on the roof but it came back up. I’m a bit bruised but ok. The gusts must have been 70 knots.’

McGuckin is now the second Golden Globe Race skipper to be rolled over. Norwegian Are Wiig was forced to abandon the race and head to Cape Town under jury rig at the end of August after being rolled and dismasted.

‘Typical, I’m at the furthest point from land in the Indian Ocean,’ noted McGuckin, who when asked what he will do next said: ‘I will sleep on it for now’.

Gregor McGuckin was not injured and must now decide how to get to a safe port. Credit: Tim Bishop/PPL/GGR

He has a number of options including asking for rescue from a passing ship or a fellow competitor, or sailing the 2,000 miles to Australia under jury rig.

The dismasting of Gregor McGuckin’s yacht means there are now just nine skippers left in the Golden Globe Race.

Meanwhile, the storm is also causing problems for other skippers.

Continues below…

Indian naval officer, Abhilash Tomy’s Suhaili replica, Thuriya has been knocked down and he is now dealing with a split mizzen boom and a lost AIS antenna. He remains in third place, less than 150 miles behind second placed Mark Slats.

The Dutch skipper aboard his Rustler 36, Ohpen Maverick has also been knocked down, but is ok, and is reporting 60 knot winds.

Further storms will batter the tail enders in the race. Credit: GGR

Istvan Kopar’s Tradewind 35 cutter, Puffin has also been knocked down, and was forced to pump out his cabin.

‘GOT KNOCKED DOWN 0430Z I AM OK PUMPED OUT CABIN RIG OK BUT NO WORKING PHONE or VHF ETC. HOVE TO FOR THE TIME BEING,’ he texted race HQ.

For those towards the back of the fleet, another weather system is going to bring extreme conditions over the next 24 hours.

Latest positions at 15:00 UTC 21 September 2018

1 Jean- Luc VDH (FRA) Rustler 36 Matmut
2 Mark Slats (NED) Rustler 36 Ohpen Maverick
3 Abhilash Tomy (IND) Suhaili replica Thuriya
4 Uku Randmaa (EST) Rustler 36 One and All
5 Susie Goodall GBR) Rustler 36 DHL Starlight
6 Istvan Kopar (USA) Tradewind 35 Puffin
7 Tapio Lehtinen (FIN) Gaia 36 Asteria
8 Igor Zaretskiy (RUS) Endurance 35 Esmeralda
9 Mark Sinclair (Aus) Lello 34 Coconut

CHICHESTER CLASS
Loïc Lepage (FRA) Nicholson 32 Laaland

RETIRED
Ertan Beskardes (GBR) Rustler 36 Lazy Otter
Kevin Farebrother (AUS) Tradewind 35 Sagarmatha
Nabil Amra (PAL) Biscay 36 Liberty II
Philippe Péché (FRA) Rustler 36 PRB
Antoine Cousot (FRA) Biscay 36 Métier Intérim
Are Wiig (NOR) OE32 Olleanna
Gregor McGuckin (IRE) Biscay 36 Hanley Energy Endurance

Francesco Cappelletti (ITA) Endurance 35 007