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Australian Capsizes – Israeli Navy Rescues Him
An Australian man set out on a journey around the world on a yacht. Two days ago, his boat capsized 24 kilometers off the coast of Haifa. The Israeli Navy rescued the man.
At 11:00 yesterday morning, an Israeli Navy missile ship received an SOS signal from a cargo ship that was experiencing trouble, 24 kilometers off the shore of Haifa.
A senior officer from the ship said, "We sighted a man standing up in a little boat, waving his arms in the air. He appeared to be in quite a panic. We lowered a lifeboat with sailors who provided him with first aid, and then brought him aboard our ship."
After soldiers questioned and searched the man, to insure that he did not have criminal or terror motives, he was brought aboard the Israeli Navy ship.
The man was an Australian who had set out on a sailing trip around the world. He had recently sailed to France, and from there to Turkey, and then on to Cyprus. A week ago, he left Cyprus with the intention of returning to Australia, through the Suez Canal. He was caught in a severe storm, and his vessel capsized. The 5 meter long yacht he was sailing in had no motor. When it capsized, the yacht lost its sail, as well as the navigation equipment, the radio, and the oars.
For 2 days, George the Australian attempted to upright the little yacht, and yesterday morning, with the help of a huge wave, he was finally successful.
An officer from the Israeli Navy ship reported that the man was in shock and suffered from frostbite. However, he was in stable condition, despite the fact that his body had been submerged in the water for 2 days, as he clung to the overturned boat. "He thanked us profusely, and said he would write a book about what had happened to him. He said he will dedicate the book to the Israel Navy soldiers who saved his life."