An emergency rescue team is poised to reach an injured British ocean
rower today, after he called for help east of New Zealand.
Jim Shekhdar, 57, on a non-stop solo journey from the southern port of
Bluff to Cape Town in South Africa, reported that his vessel had
capsized several times in severe weather.
Mr Shekhdar suffered a minor head injury in the storms which also
broke his oars, swept gear from the deck, according to New Zealand's
National Search and Rescue Centre.
But he told the centre via satellite phone he was "not in need of
immediate medical assistance".
He had reported his position as about 750 miles east of New Zealand in
the southern Pacific Ocean.
The New Zealand marine research ship Tangaroa, diverted to assist Mr
Shekhdar, will reach him about 8pm local time tomorrow (7am GMT).
Centre spokesman Paul Harrison said an air force P3 Orion surveillance
plane would probably be sent sent to assist the Tangaroa to rendezvous
with Mr Shekhdar's 26ft rowboat Hornette.
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, New
Zealand, via treacherous Cape Horn at the stormy tip of South America,
to Cape Town in South Africa.
Mr Shekhdar, 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.
He has already rowed across the Atlantic and completed a solo row of
the Pacific from Peru to Australia in early 2001.
