By DPA
Tel Aviv : An Israeli woman and her Italian companion survived for nine days at sea on a raft, after their sailing boat sank in the Indian Ocean in bad weather, her family said Friday.
Livi Bellosersky, a professional yachtswoman, set out for a journey from the Maldives to Egypt on Sep 20, the Israeli Yediot Ahronot daily reported.
On the fourth day, contact with her family was broken off and a SOS signal reported, sparking the Israeli embassy in Delhi to call a search effort.
Bellosersky and the Italian professional sailor were found and picked up by a ferry from Panama nine days later.
Bellosersky’s mother, Tania, told DPA that as far as she knew the two survived on a rubber rescue raft with only emergency supplies. She said her daughter was due to arrive in Israel in two weeks.
“I was very excited when I spoke to her,” she said.