Injured naval officer Commander Abhilash Tomy ‘doing fine’: Navy

Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, September 26

Initial medical tests, including X-rays, done on injured naval officer Commander Abhilash Tomy reveal that he is “recovering” and “doing  fine”.  

Senior officials here spoke to Commander Tomy on Wednesday morning.  

A doctor at French-held Islands of Amsterdam located in Indian Ocean’s remote southern part has examined him and advised him to lie straight on his back. Further assessment will be done on Friday when INS Satpura, an Indian Warship,  reaches the islands.

The ship has a doctor on board and also tele-medicine facility through which the doctor on board the ship can connect with specialists in India to consult on the naval officer’s health.

The Commander was rescued by a French fishing patrol vessel ‘FV Osiris’ on September 24.  He was badly injured incapacitating him when his sail boat SV Thuriya was hit by massive 50-ft-high waves on September 21. The vessel’s sailing mast broke and he was thrown around resulting in a back injury at a location, some 5,444 km south of Chennai. Commander Tomy was participating in the Golden Globe Race 2018.

“He (Commander Tomy) has eaten food and is speaking (both hints of normal neuro-motor functions). Further medical examination is on,” Navy spokesperson Captain DK Sharma said.

Navy officials pointed out that detailed test like an MRI or a full body scan are still needed to rule out any long-term impact on his injured back.

Meanwhile, the Navy will take a call on evacuation of the Commander. It could be possible that he reaches India by Monday. INS Satpura is expected to reach the Islands of Amsterdam by Friday morning. The sea state is rough, the temperatures (since it’s winters in the southern hemisphere) are low.

The Islands are 3,111 kms from the nearest airport at Mauritius. The Satpura, after reaching on Friday, will then travel with the injured officer to Mauritius--almost three days’ sail time away. From Mauritius he will be transported by air.

The INS Satpura, which was on patrolling duties elsewhere, was diverted immediately on September 21 and sent to rescue the Commander. It was re-fuelled mid-sea by fleet tanker INS Jyoti.

A ship like the Satpura has a top speed of 50 km per hour but due to rough seas the speed is slower. The INS Satpura is the Navy’s latest frigates commissioned in 2011. It can easily do the distance. It’s tested over even longer distances when it sailed to Hawaii islands (some 12,000 km away) in the Pacific Ocean for an exercise.