An emergency rescue was under way east of New Zealand tonight after an
injured British ocean rower called for help, rescue officials said.
Jim Shekhdar, 57, on a non-stop solo journey from the southern port of
Bluff to Cape Town in South Africa, reported his vessel rolling
several times in severe weather, which also broke his oars and swept
gear from the deck.
“He has suffered a minor head injury, and reported he was in distress
and in need of assistance,” said National Search and Rescue
Co-ordination Centre spokesman Paul Harrison.
Shekhdar, in contact with the centre by satellite phone, was “not in
need of immediate medical assistance”, he said in a statement.
He had reported his position as about 750 miles east of New Zealand in
the southern Pacific Ocean.
“Apart from feeling cold and wet, he’s in a reasonably good state of
mind,” Harrison said.
The New Zealand marine research ship Tangaroa, diverted to assist
Shekhdar, would reach him about 8pm local time tomorrow (7am GMT), he
added.
Harrison said an air force P3 Orion surveillance plane would probably
be sent sent to assist the Tangaroa to rendezvous with the 26ft
rowboat Hornette in which Shekhdar was attempting the row.
It was not known whether the rowboat could be recovered by the
research ship.
It is the second time the solo adventurer has called for help since he
launched his bid last month to row the 9,000 miles from Bluff via
treacherous Cape Horn at the stormy tip of South America to Cape Town
in South Africa.
The Briton, from Northwood, Middlesex, was towed back to New Zealand
on October 17 after having travelled just 50 miles, when his global
positioning navigation system and wind-powered generator failed.
Shekhdar, who expected his journey to last seven to 12 months, said he
would be traversing some of the world’s roughest waters in “probably
the best-built cork in the world”.
He has already rowed across the Atlantic and completed a solo row of
the Pacific from Peru to Australia in early 2001.
