A sailor from London recently fell overboard while taking part in round the world race.

A sailor from London recently fell overboard while taking part in a round the world race. 46-year-old Andrew Taylor was stuck in the freezing ocean water for approximately an hour and a half.

The ordeal was exceptionally scary because high winds were sweeping him out to sea and away from the yacht he was on. Skipper Sean McCarter was right next to Taylor when he fell over.

Right away, McCarter turned the yacht around and sent out a ‘mayday alert’. It took over an hour for everyone involved in the rescue to finally see him battling against the brutal waves.

About 20 minutes after he was seen, he was pulled to safety. Race director Justin Taylor commented ‘An hour-and-a-half is a very long time to be in the water in these conditions. But a combination of his sea survival training and seven months at sea, as well as wearing a life jacket and dry suit, will have contributed enormously to his survival.’

Taylor encountered hypothermia and shock resulting from the accident. At the time of the recue, he was conscious and speaking to crew members. Taylor was treated on the yacht and his condition is continuously being monitored.