Image used for representative purpose only

CHENNAI: What began as a landmark international sailing expedition by the Royal Madras Yacht Club (RMYC) turned into a dramatic rescue operation off the coast of Puducherry. Returning from their maiden trip to Kankesanthurai in Sri Lanka, the sailors were just in time to rescue tourists who fell into the Thengaithittu lagoon in Puducherry on Saturday evening.
Five J/80 boats of the sailing expedition had neared the Pondy Yacht Club (PYC) in Thengaithittu lagoon when the crew spotted a tourist boat capsizing about 200m from the shore. The sailors sprang into action, deploying a fast rigid inflatable boat with trained responders.
Within minutes, 11 tourists were rescued from the choppy waters. One of them had ingested seawater and needed medical attention. Swift coordination with local police, the Indian Coast Guard and medical responders ensured a timely and effective emergency response. Puducherry chief secretary Sharat Chauhan commended the crew.
The sailors had set out from Chennai early on March 31. The expedition comprised five J/80 boats manned by Coast Guard officers, NCC cadets and RMYC club members. After rigorous training and safety drills in Chennai’s intense heat – including mastering the critical ‘man overboard’ protocol – the team set sail with stopovers at Puducherry, Poompuhar and Nagapattinam.
Two boats continued to Kankesanthurai Port in Sri Lanka after completing customs and immigration at Nagapattinam on April 3. “Facing thunderstorms that stretched a nine-hour journey to 14 hours, we reached Jaffna to a warm welcome from N Vedanayagan, governor of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province. A memorandum of understanding was signed between RMYC and the chamber of marine industries, Sri Lanka, to bolster sailing and tourism ties between the two countries,” said captain Vivek Shanbhag, RMYC’s honorary secretary.