Navy veterans complete 10,000-nautical-mile trans-oceanic sailing expedition

Two Navy veterans from Andhra Pradesh have achieved what few dare to attempt, completing a challenging trans-oceanic sailing expedition spanning 10,000 nautical miles.

Colonel K. Srinivas and Captain C.D.N.V. Prasad reached India on Thursday after a six-month voyage that began in New Zealand.

The duo was given a warm welcome at the Naval Base in Visakhapatnam, where a flag-hoisting ceremony was held to mark their remarkable accomplishment.

Speaking about the journey, K. Srinivas, a retired naval officer, said, "It’s a great feeling to have completed 10,000 nautical miles of sailing experience at sea and then come back to meet friends, family, and veterans. It is a very good feeling to achieve a dream that we had dreamt about..."

Over the course of their expedition, the officers sailed through several countries, including Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, navigating vast stretches of open ocean.

Sharing details of the route, C.D.N.V. Prasad said, "We bought a yacht named Tystie in New Zealand and sailed it from New Zealand to Fiji. Thereafter to Solomon Islands, and followed by Indonesia. Then we sailed it to Andaman Islands, and from Andaman Islands we came to Visakhapatnam. The total journey was 10,000 nautical miles. We covered 10,000 nautical miles in 6 months."