Twenty-two-year-old sailor Xavier Doerr was rescued in a major operation after becoming stranded in the Great Australian Bight over the weekend.
He departed from Queensland’s Southport Yacht Club weeks ago to complete an anti-clockwise journey of Australia with the goal of becoming the youngest and fastest sailor to complete the trip.
He travelled over 5,200 nautical miles before his Yacht Waterline began taking on water and he lost contact with his land team.
An extensive rescue mission was launched by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority to retrieve Mr Doerr from his sinking vessel after he set off an emergency beacon just before 5pm on Friday, 7 July.
Planes were sent from Perth to make aerial contact and several vessels were diverted to the emergency beacon’s location.
Late Sunday, 24 hours after his rescue began, Mr Doerr was taken aboard the Bulk Carrier Theodore JR where a helicopter picked him up and flew him to Adelaide for treatment.
Mr Doerr believes a collision with an Ocean Sunfish caused the capsize.
