NDTV Correspondent

Tuesday, July 15, 2003 (New York):

 

A Ukrainian man's dream of rowing solo across the Atlantic sank today as he became an unlikely victim of the US war on terrorism.

Theodore Rezvoy had set out full of confidence and energy with hopes of becoming the first person to row solo over 3,000 miles from New York to France in 80 days. But after only eight days, Rezvoy's plans came to a standstill.

He was stopped and searched by the US Navy after the Ukrainian radioed a call for a painkiller for a liver ailment.

Sailors aboard the USS Doyle, on alert after 9/11, were suspicious and thoroughly searched Rezvoy's sophisticated rowboat.

"They asked me if I have some explosive material or some weapons. And they took from the boat my knife and flares and everything dangerous - they took it all," said Rezvoy.

In the end the Navy didn't think Rezvoy was a terrorist. But he couldn't continue because his rowboat was damaged after the Navy tried but failed to pull the boat up on deck.

Its "beacon" device that sends a tracking signal every 90 seconds then went missing.

Rezvoy was taken ashore, but the boat and probably its owner's quest now seem lost at sea.