Posted on 06/10/2010 1:03:56 PM PDT by devane617
BREAKING NEWS - ABBY SUNDERLAND NOW MISSING AT SEA!
Grind TV reports that 16 year old Abby Sunderland, who had been attempting to sail around the world alone is now missing at sea. Sunderland, says Grind TV, endured multiple knockdowns in 60-knot winds Thursday before conditions briefly abated.
However, her parents lost satellite phone contact early this morning and an hour later were notified by the Australian Coast Guard that both of Sunderland's EPIRB satellite devices had been activated.
One is apparently is attached to a survival suit or a life raft and meant to be used when a person is in the water or aboard a life raft.
Abby's father struggled with emotions and said he didn't know if his daughter was in a life raft or aboard the boat, or whether the boat was upside down.
"Everything seemed to be under control, Laurence Sunderland said. But then our call dropped and a hour later the Coast Guard called."
(Excerpt) Read more at thecypresstimes.com ...
Why give up now? There has been no radio contact, but she was able to turn on her emergency beacons. She could simply be adrift waiting pickup.
What kind of idiot parents would allow their 16 daughter to attempt such a feat?
Exactly right!
bookmark
Looks like another job for you!
I’ve crossed the Pacific and the Atlantic by ship and the oceans are very, very large, deep, lonely and unforgiving.
In the middle of the ocean, you are less than a speck.
I hope she is safe and that they find her.
Abby Sunderland
Hope she's OK.
Thrill seekers put themselves in very dangerous situations all the time and expect someone to come to their rescue when disaster happens. I pray she’s safe, but I can’t understand why people feel the need to tease death just to prove a point.
Prayers for the girl.
The parents should not have allowed this girl to do this.
If I was her father she would be weapons trained.
The EPIRBs are automatic.
“Like those who climb Mount Everest, they know the risks. “
I’d agree with you except the girl is not yet an adult.
Some say we should support the kids’ dreams, not raise them in bubble wrap. I agree to a point. One could give a child sailing lessons (with rescue personnel within a mile or two), get them sailing gear, help them to save up for such a trip, aid them in research and so forth, introduce them to salty sailors, take them to yacht races. . .
there are all sort of ways to support a kid’s dream to sail around the world.
Then, when they are legally adults, they can undertake, if they want to take the risk. In this case I would not hold the parents responsible.
At this point I must.
She didn’t have a back-up crew following??? That’s suicide! The parents....what were they thinking?
as far as i can tell, no, she did not have a backup.
Sunderland's yacht, Wild Eyes, is a 40-foot (12.19 m) sloop built in 2001 by A.S.A. Yachts PTY, Australia. It was designed by Jutson Yacht, Australia, specifically to be sailed single-handed through the Southern Ocean.
As BTC Velocity, the vessel finished second in the Class 3 (Open 40) category of the Around Alone 2002 race.[10] Wild Eyes is constructed of E-glass with Kevlar reinforcement into five watertight compartments with a crash bulkhead and a stern escape hatch.
Most likely she has been dismasted and by herself lacks the strength to set, for example, a whisker pole for a jury rigged mast. A 40 footer is a lot of boat and requires far too much in the way of power assist to sail. No motor means no power for winches, power furling or other assisted technology.
Me? I think a a Pacific Seacraft Dana 24 would be a better boat for single-handed sailing. However, the Dana 24 is no OSTAR style boat....
Its about the money making deal if she makes it...
We had “Baloon Boy”....now we have “Sail Girl”...I am disgusted, not impressed.
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