CHENNAI: Indian Coast Guard (ICG) rescued two South African nationals after their yacht sailing from Port Victoria, Seychelles to Abu Dhabi suffered a power failure and was drifting in the sea 25km off Kavaratti Island in Lakshadweep for almost 48 hours.
The two-member crew on board the 38-feet-long yacht ‘Louise’, which was on its maiden voyage to Abu Dhabi suffered a total power failure and were at the mercy of the sea as there was no communication and propulsion system.
A coastguard spokesman said that the yacht was drifting since August 2 and the crew were braving the rough sea with winds at a speed of 35 knots awaiting help.
The Coast Guard came to know about the yacht on Friday morning and sent its vessel Samarth to rescue the crew.
“Initially efforts to tow the vessel proved futile due to rough seas,” the spokesman said. Later, we managed to pick up the two crew members, the spokesman added.
The crew were identified as master Gavin Stephen (25) and Marnu Christoff (21). The owner of the yacht is Gregory Pecker residing in Abu Dhabi “We will be undertaking the operation to tow the yacht at first available opportunity,” the spokesman said.
This is the second such operation this monsoon with the last being the rescue of yacht ‘Lady Thuraya’ on June 17, almost 1100 km from the coast at the fringes of Indian Search and Rescue region.