Inmarsat Plays Key Role at Velux5 as Yachtsman is Rescued
Inmarsat communications have played a central role in the successful rescue of Velux 5 Oceans Race solo-yachtsman Alex Thomson.
The British skipper was plucked from his sinking vessel Hugo Boss - equipped with Inmarsat C and Fleet 77 128k terminals - at 06.45 UTC on November 24, about 1,000 miles off the Cape of Good Hope.
An alert to all shipping had been issued the previous day over Inmarsat C and fellow Velux competitor Mike Golding diverted his yacht Ecover to pick up Thomson.
Hugo Boss had suffered severe damage to her canting keel and was reported to be in danger of capsizing.
Delicate operation
In a report on the Velux website, Golding described the delicate operation to transfer Thomson to Ecover as "very scary".
"We decided not to carry out the transfer until this morning until the sun was well up," he said.
"We converged again and had a very scary, very tricky pick up...Alex had to set himself adrift in the liferaft which must have been equally scary. It took four attempts and I am just delighted to have him on board."
Later Thomson spoke to the media via satellite phone from Ecover, which is also equipped with Inmarsat.
Severe problem
"I can't believe it - if there was any way I could continue I would, but I have no option," Thomson told the BBC.
"To have such a severe problem with my keel, something which I have no control over, is absolutely devastating."
The South African coast guard told Inmarsat that Thomson's vessel was "sinking or already sunk" at 10.00 UTC on November 24.
- Fleet 77 enables voice communication, email, web browsing, videoconferencing and other digital services.
- Inmarsat C is a data-only service that provides the backbone for the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System.
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Archives: (2005 ) / (2006)
 28 November 2006
Inmarsat to Relay First
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28 November 2006
Inmarsat Plays Key Role
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