Rescue followed sudden death of former ‘Australian spy’ Alisdair Putt
The sudden death of a former Australian spy in the middle of the ocean during the World Toughest Row challenge led to the Portuguese Navy coordinating a rescue effort 2000 kms south of São Miguel island, in the Azores.
The incident, widely publicised due to the notoriety of Alisdair Putt, was called in on Thursday.
Putt, described by international media as a ‘former spy’, was in fact a war crimes investigator, who used to work for the UN, and the International Criminal Court.
He was part of the Aussie Old Salts Team, undertaking a gruelling challenge across the Atlantic to raise money for a veterans charity when he suffered a ‘cardiac incident’.
His fellow crewmen – current and former military men aged between 40 and 62 – tried desperately to revive Mr Putt but to no avail, reports the Mirror. The tragic news was confirmed by race officials yesterday.
The team had set off from the Canary Islands on December 12, with 4,800 kms ahead of them before reaching Antigua.
Reports have not referred to the rescue being coordinated by the Portuguese Navy. This was only mentioned in the Portuguese press late last night/ today. It appears that a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier was “activated to provide assistance”, and at around 10.18pm on January 4 “successfully rescued the three living crew members and the body of the fourth. The ship continued its journey to its port of destination in Norway”, the Navy’s social media reported yesterday.
Putt, meantime, has been described as a “remarkable man who lived a remarkable life”. ND
