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| Orion Expedition Cruise Ship |
AN Antarctic cruise ship is on its way to rescue a solo round-the-world yachtsman stranded on a life raft in remote waters southwest of Tasmania.
The Frenchman, reported to be 63-year-old Alain Delord who set off at the beginning of October, abandoned his yacht on Friday after it lost its mast and its hull was damaged in rough weather.
He is still battling rough conditions in a life raft as he awaits the arrival of the Orion cruise ship, expected on Sunday afternoon or evening.
The location, about 500 nautical miles southwest of Hobart, is too distant for a helicopter rescue with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) using three aircraft to maintain contact with the sailor until a vessel can reach him.
A language barrier has proven to be an issue in getting information from the Frenchman, although AMSA's Dornier aircraft again made contact with him on Saturday and he did not report any injuries.
Continue reading story at: theaustralian.com.au
To view Passenger video and read more about the rescue, go to: news.sky.com
