A blind Japanese sailor Mitsuhiro Iwamoto, today becomes the first non-sighted person, managed to cross the Pacific Ocean non-stop in a sailing yacht. Japanese media have reported that.
52-year-old Mitsuhiro Iwamoto arrived in the harbor of Fukushima in the morning. On February 24, the crossing in the twelve-meter-long boat “Dream Weaver” left in the American city of San Diego, on the California coast. On the journey, about 14,000 kilometers, he was helped by the American navigator Doug Smith, who assisted him verbally with information about, for example, the wind direction.
It was the Japanese sailor’s second attempt. Six years ago the first expedition ran aground soon after a whale collision, after which the boat sank. After that failed attempt, Iwamoto took part in triathlons to get used to swimming in the sea. “I am at home. Thank you”, he said at the party to celebrate his arrival. “I did not give up and realized my dream”. This is the first time that a non-seeing person has successfully completed the crossing of the Pacific Ocean.
Mitsuhiro Iwamoto lost sight as a 16-year-old. He undertook the sailing trip to raise money for preventive medicines that prevent blindness.
