Meet Xavier, a 22-year-old Aussie sailor from the Gold Coast with a daring dream – breaking a world record by sailing around Australia in just 50 days. However, his journey took an unexpected turn when his 21-ft yacht had a bit of a collision with a massive sunfish, causing it to partially capsize. Learn how an AIS Personal Locator Beacon alerted Rescuers Xavier.

Stranded about 630km from Kangaroo Island in the Great Australian Bight, Xavier faced a communication blackout. To signal for help, he activated his ResQLink AIS Personal Locator Beacon or PLB Friday evening. Unfortunately, during the collision, Xavier sustained injuries to his head and neck. Making the strenuous situation ever more difficult.

Luckily, a cargo ship came to the rescue, braving fierce 10-meter waves and winds whipping at 100km/h to reach him. It took several tries, with waves making the rescue tricky, but eventually, on a Saturday afternoon, Xavier was finally on board the ship, safe and sound.

Expressing his gratitude for the rescue in such challenging conditions, Xavier highlighted the tricky climb up a ladder onto the ship. Soon after, a South Australian Ambulance Special Operations Helicopter airlifted him to the Royal Adelaide Hospital for medical scans to ensure he hadn’t suffered serious internal injuries.

While all this was happening, Xavier’s trusty yacht, which he spent two years preparing for this grand journey, sailed on autopilot toward Adelaide. Xavier remains hopeful about recovering it. This adventure marks his second attempt to sail around Australia in 50 days, aiming to beat the record set by Lisa Blair in 2018. Despite this hiccup, Xavier remains determined and plans to take on the challenging route again in the future. Here’s to bouncing back and more seafaring adventures ahead!