Posted on 08/02/2005 10:30:04 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
A UKRAINIAN rower plans to set off today on a solo crossing of the Indian Ocean from Western Australia to Madagascar.
Theodore Rezvoy, 37, is due to leave Carnarvon today in his boat, Ukraine, for the 6882km journey to Diego Suarez.
If he succeeds, he will become only the third person to have completed that route.
Mr Rezvoy is dedicating his bid to fellow ocean rower Paul McCarthy, an Australian air force medical officer who was killed in the Sea King helicopter crash on the Indonesian Island of Nias this year.
The 30-year-old was one of nine Australians who died while attempting to deliver aid to the earthquake devastated region on April 2.
Mr Rezvoy crossed the Atlantic in 2001 at the same time as Squadron Leader McCarthy, who was the senior medical officer at RAAF Base Pearce in WA prior to his death.
Recent attempts to row across the Indian Ocean have ended with rescue missions.
In May, Russian twins Sergey and Alexander Sinelnik, 31, were rescued as they struggled to row 7400km from WA to Tanzania in a wooden boat.
They aborted their mission after losing two of three anchors and after their water desalinator failed.
In June 2003, Rob Abernethy, 31, and Mike Noel-Smith, 45, were rescued after their seven-metre boat, Transventure, was damaged in heavy seas, more than 2400km off the West Australian coast.
Mr Noel-Smith suffered concussion, a broken nose and eye damage when he was knocked out while adjusting the boat's rudder.
In 2003, Mr Rezvoy undertook an attempt to row from New York to Europe but had an encounter with the US navy missile-carrier USS Doyle that left his boat damaged and ended that journey.
How long before brave Aussie sailors and pilots have to risk their lives rescuing this prize goose?
I wish you'd shown that to the ratbag in the boat!
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