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ADELAIDE, Australia – Countries involved in the rescue of an American teenager adrift in the southern Indian Ocean have brushed off questions about the rescue's cost and have no plans to seek compensation. They explain that rescues at sea are a no-cost agreement under global conventions regarding maritime search and rescue operations. "The Australian taxpayer at the end of the day makes a contribution," Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said. "But we have to put this in context. If there was an Australian lost at sea, we would want ... every effort to be made to save that person." On the...

I don't know Abby Sunderland as well as those close to her, but I think I know her better than other reporters and columnists know her. I've interviewed the Thousand Oaks teenager several times, and before she set out to chase a dream and try to circle the planet on a 40-foot yacht, I sailed with her through the night aboard that yacht, Wild Eyes, which by now probably rests at the bottom of the Indian Ocean. Same goes for Abby's older brother, Zac. While working for the Los Angeles Times, I followed his 13-month around-the-world odyssey from the beginning,...

The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea was first adopted in 1914 in response to the Titanic disaster. Along with mandating the number of lifeboats and the notification of a ship's routes, it also dictates that any ship in the area of a distress call will divert to assist that ship.

LOS ANGELES -- The family of a 16-year-old California girl rescued from the Indian Ocean as she tried to sail solo around the world has no plans to cash in on their child's adventure with a reality TV show, documentary or any other deal, Abby Sunderland's mother told The Associated Press on Monday. Marianne Sunderland also said reports the family signed a deal for a reality show while her daughter was at sea were untrue.

TEENAGE solo sailor Jessica Watson and the watchkeepers of a bulk carrier were both responsible for their collision off Queensland, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau says. The ATSB today released its final report on the September 9, 2009 collision between Jessica's yacht Ella's Pink Lady and the Hong Kong registered bulk carrier Silver Yang off Point Lookout. The collision happened when the then 16-year-old was on a preliminary solo journey to Sydney, ahead of her ultimately successful bid to sail solo and unassisted around the world. It led to calls for her parents to ban her from going on her...

Dangerous, Inexperienced Sailing: The Real Sunderland Reality Opinion by laconic (4 Hours Ago) in Society Abby Sunderland was rushed out the gate in an ill prepared attempt to get an obscure record. She had to stop at Cabo for major upgrades on her boat. There were 2 auto pilots on the boat and the electrical demand exceeded the ability of the wind generators and solar panels to supply power. This was in California and Mexico, not the overcast Atlantic or Souther Ocean where you might not see the sun for days. Bad omen and signs of total incompetence before even...

Here's a dose of reality. The father of teen sailor Abby Sunderland told The NY Post that he's broke and had signed a contract to do a reality show, "Adventures in Sunderland," about his family of daredevil kids weeks after she set off on her doomed and dangerous solo sail around the globe. Laurence Sunderland, a sailing instructor who lives in the middle-class Los Angeles suburb of Thousand Oaks with his pregnant wife and seven kids, opened their home to film crews four months ago.

he 'born-again' American teenager who had been attempting to sail solo around the world defends herself against the critics of her young age INDIAN OCEAN - Sixteen-year-old American Abby Sunderland, a "born again" teenage girl attempting to sail solo around the world, was rescued on Saturday, June 12, 2010 in a remote spot of the Indian Ocean, bringing to a successful conclusion the dramatic bid to save her life. Abby, who is part of a Southern California Christian family, was picked up from her stricken vessel by a dinghy launched from the French fishing boat Ile de la Reunion.

FAILED teen solo sailor Abby Sunderland's team did not put a cent towards her rescue but still tried to get the public to pay for the boat's salvage. The 16-year-old American abandoned her 12m yacht Wild Eyes last week after storms snapped its mast, leaving her stranded 3700km from the West Australian coast. She was picked up by a French fishing boat on Saturday after an international search mission costing an estimated $300,000. Her mother MaryAnne said yesterday the family could not afford to contribute to her daughter's rescue. "We're not wealthy people," she said. She suggested Australian rescue authorities...

Abby Sunderland's recent adventure has everyone questioning teen safety. It all depends one how one defines it. Parents, where are your teenage daughters? They had better be "safe" at home watching the perverse antics of Disney role models like Miley Cyrus or Lindsay Lohan on TV. Perhaps they're "safe" at school, where they are being educated about the sexual revolution, and in some states, being ushered "safely" by administrators to a clinic where the abortion procedure will be administered with you parents none the wiser. At the very worst, one can rest assured that even if America's daughters have ventured...

Here's a dose of reality. The father of teen sailor Abby Sunderland told The Post yesterday that he's broke and had signed a contract to do a reality show, "Adventures in Sunderland," about his family of daredevil kids weeks after she set off on her doomed and dangerous solo sail around the globe. Laurence Sunderland, a sailing instructor who lives in the middle-class Los Angeles suburb of Thousand Oaks with his pregnant wife and seven kids, opened their home to film crews four months ago. "The show might be about family, it might be about Abigail's trip. It's something that...

(Info derived from linked article) Sunderland "reality" show was preplanned before Abby's misadventure: Adventures in Sunderland (Reality TV Show) Distribution Rights: Magnetic Entertainment Exec Producer: Magnetic Entertainment "A family oriented Adventure show, based on the Sunderland Family of Thousand Oaks, CA. We follow the family in their day-to-day lives as shipbuilder Laurence Sunderland and mother/teacher Marianne try to balance work and family." http://www.magneticent.com/html/projects.htm "Magnetic Entertainment" is the sponsor of the ill-fated voyage. (pdf list of sponsors) http://abbysunderland.com/images/sponsors/abby_sponsorship.pdf

THE United States' peak sailing body was so concerned about Abby Sunderland's solo record bid that it refused to sponsor her. As the young sailor blasted her critics, the American Sailing Association confirmed it had knocked back the teenager's appeal for help, fearing commercial endorsement might encourage her to take too many risks. "We chose not to be sponsors of Abigail because we did have concerns about the timing of her departure," said executive director Charlie Nobles. Abby's route placed her in the treacherous Indian Ocean during the notoriously tough winter months. "She had a lot of sponsors that were...

THE Rudd Government has confirmed Australia can't seek to recover the cost of rescuing US teen sailor Abby Sunderland after her boat was demasted in the Indian Ocean. Abby, 16, is now on the French fishing vessel Ile De La Reunion, which is heading to the French archipelago Kerguelen Islands. Transport Minister Anthony Albanese says Australia couldn't send Abby and her backers a bill even if it wanted too. "That's not the way the law works," he told Channel 10. "The Australian taxpayer at the end of the day makes a contribution. "But we have to put this in context...

American teenager Abby Sunderland vowed Saturday that she would attempt to sail solo round the world again, after her first try at the record was thwarted when she became stranded for two nights in rough Indian Ocean seas. Sunderland was plucked from her damaged yacht by a French fishing vessel on Saturday, 2000 nautical miles from the western coast of Australia. Her 40-foot sailboat Wild Eyes remains adrift. The 16-year-old sailor was waiting to be evacuated since Friday, when Australian rescuers spotted her from the air and made radio contact. "It's been a little bit crazy these past few days....

I've found the slander and contempt expressed on Free Republic towards Abby Sunderland and her parents quite interesting. Of course, we're all supposed to believe that every post on FR is independently made, but these hate posts have been too interlocked in similiarly bizarre content for me to believe that. Basically the hateful screeds boil down to Abby being a child instead of a young woman, unable to understand the danger of her trip, put at risk by fame seeking parents, to do something with no socially approved redeeming value, which ended in abject failure due to Abby's incompetence, and...

A French fishing vessel rescued a California teenager Saturday from her crippled sailboat in the turbulent southern Indian Ocean, bringing relief to her family but ending her around-the-world sailing effort.

Californian teen sailor Abby Sunderland was rescued by French fishermen today after two days of battle with gale force winds and freezing temperatures while stranded on her stricken boat in the Indian Ocean. The 16-year-old was said to be in good health when the Ile de la Reunion, a French fishing vessel, reached her battered yacht Wild Eyes in heavy seas earlier today. Speaking outside the family home in Thousand Oaks, southern California, her father Laurence Sunderland said maritime authorities had contacted him to confirm the successful rescue operation, which took place at 7.45pm eastern Australian time (10.45 BST). An...

SOLO teenage US sailor Abby Sunderland has been rescued from her battered yacht Wild Eyes. The 16-year-old was taken aboard the fishing vessel Ile De La Reunion about 7.45pm (AEST) on Saturday.

THE Australian Defence Force has deployed two aircraft to Cocos Island, in the Indian Ocean, to assist in the rescue of US sailor Abby Sunderland. A French fishing boat was on its way to rescue Abby on Saturday afternoon, following a rescue crew making brief contact with the 16-year-old on Friday afternoon by air. On Saturday afternoon the Australian Defence Force joined the rescue by deploying two Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C aircraft. "If needed, one of the AP-3C Orion will fly to Mauritius to refuel and will then fly south and provide coordinating support for civilian ships that have...