UK Rowers Rescued - Again
By Aiswarya Lakshmi
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Two Englishmen - one an epileptic with head injuries - attempting to break the world record for rowing across the Indian Ocean as a duo have been rescued for a second time.
The rescue mission came after a seemingly bizarre chain of communication attempts from adventurer James Ketchell and friend Ashley Wilson.
On their first attempt, in May, they had to abort their bid to row from Geraldton in Western Australia to Port Louis in Mauritius just one day into the journey after electronic guidance systems failed.
The pair set off again on Friday, but has run into bad weather about 175km west of Kalbarri, forcing them to activate their emergency personal location beacon about 8am on Wednesday.
The pair initially used a satellite phone to call a friend in the UK and report they were encountering strong winds and high seas. That friend then contacted the UK Coastguard, which alerted the Australia Maritime Safety Authority to their plight.
They are undergoing a medical assessment on the ship, where an ambulance helicopter may be required to land if either of the men needs assistance.
The pair aimed to raise $200,000 for the charities Young Epilepsy, Scouts, and the Elifar Foundation, which helps people with severe learning difficulties and associated physical disabilities.