Are you under the impression there are rescue services funded by Government patrolling those waters?
We aren't talking about the Coast Guard rescuing day sailors. We are talking about a part of the Ocean most people avoid because its too damn far from anywhere and its too damn rough for many serious Ocean going vessels let alone racing yachts.
If someone wants to try in a racing yacht more power too 'em they got major cajones to even try. But it took A french ship nearly 24 hours just to get to her location then they need to come back and that is AFTER they knew exactly where she was. The fuel alone for that trip is more than most people make in a month plus the cost of the crew. Then you have the cost of sending planes to locate her as well. Someone has to pay for it why should it not be the person who tempted fate?
Not patrolling, no - but monitoring them and responsible for rescues within them, yes, there are. For the particular stretch of water that Abby Sunderland was in, those organisations were the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, and Maritime RCC La Reunion.
I'm a retired officer of the Royal Australian Navy, who understands Australia's duties with regards to rescue in its maritime search and rescue region. Wild Eyes was within that region at the time Australia took over responsibility for the rescue of Abby Sunderland (at the time of the initial distress signal, she was just inside the region handled by Reunion Island, but they had already asked Australia for assistance). These duties are outlined in the Convention on International Civil Aviation, 1944; the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974; and the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, 1979.
We aren't talking about the Coast Guard rescuing day sailors. We are talking about a part of the Ocean most people avoid because its too damn far from anywhere and its too damn rough for many serious Ocean going vessels let alone racing yachts.
I'm aware of that. It doesn't change Australia's obligations or what Australia does to fulfill those obligations. It just makes it more complicated.
If someone wants to try in a racing yacht more power too 'em they got major cajones to even try. But it took A french ship nearly 24 hours just to get to her location then they need to come back and that is AFTER they knew exactly where she was. The fuel alone for that trip is more than most people make in a month plus the cost of the crew. Then you have the cost of sending planes to locate her as well. Someone has to pay for it why should it not be the person who tempted fate?
Because that's not how it works, and hasn't been for hundreds of years.
If that French fishing boat found itself in distress, it would expect everybody in a position to provide assistance to do so. That's what you do.
Mariners have a fundamental duty to render assistance to other mariners in distress.