South African sailor comes to rescue of Finnish veteran in Golden Globe Race

20 November 2022 - 12:17
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Kirsten Neuschäfer from Gqeberha, the Golden Globe Race's only female entrant, pulled off a successful rescue operation on Saturday in the southern Indian Ocean.
Kirsten Neuschäfer from Gqeberha, the Golden Globe Race's only female entrant, pulled off a successful rescue operation on Saturday in the southern Indian Ocean.
Image: Sunday Times

South African Golden Globe Race (GGR) competitor Kirsten Neuschäfer, the only female entrant, pulled off a successful rescue operation on Saturday after Finnish sailing legend Tapio Lehtinen's boat sank in the southern Indian Ocean.

Lehtinen reported on Friday his yacht, the Gaia 36 Asteria, had flooded from the stern — with water up to deck level within five minutes — and sunk.

Neuschäfer, from Gqeberha, was first to reach his position, and take him safely aboard Minnehaha before transferring him onto the bulk carrier MV Darya Gayatri.

According to the GGR, at about 5.10am on Saturday, Neuschäfer whisked GGR veteran Lehtinen from his life raft, where he had been since 7am on Friday.

“Three boats had been diverted yesterday to assist GGR entrant Tapio Lehtinen after he activated his emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) at 6.54am. He then activated his life raft personal locator beacon at 8.54am UTC following the sinking of his yacht Asteria,” said GGR.

“Abhilash Tomy (IND) aboard Bayanat, 170 nm [nautical miles] southwest of Tapio’s last known position, was the first to receive the message sent through the YB3 device and divert his route.

“MRCC Cape Town confirmed communication with Capt Naveen Kumar Mehrotra on-board the bulk carrier MV Darya Gayatri bound to Singapore, 250 nm northwest of Tapio’s position, diverting course at 12.5 knots and rendering assistance with an ETA between 8.30 and 10am on November 19,” GGR said.

Later in the day, Neuschäfer, who was the closest to Tapio at 105 miles (169km), contacted the GGR crisis team after receiving the message. She broke the seal on the emergency GPS and diverted from her course towards Tapio’s position.

“It was not an easy task. However, Tapio had an early visual on Kirsten’s yacht but she could not see the life raft in the swell. Kirsten would hear him on the VHF but Tapio could not hear her voice. The GGR crisis management team homed her onto Tapio’s position until they were close enough to see and hear each other to plan for recovery.”

Neuschäfer called the GGR management team at 8.05am to confirm she had rescued Lehtinen. She then towed the raft towards the carrier, which he boarded.

“I’m full of adrenaline now, I’ve been up helming all night, and it’s quite something to be manoeuvring so close to a ship, but we’re all good. He was on board, we drank a rum together and then we sent him on his merry way,” she said.

“No congratulations needed for the rescue, everyone would do the same for another sailor. Thank you guys for co-ordinating it.”

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