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Abby Sunderland (GizaraArts.com) |
THOUSAND OAKS -- Missing teen solo sailor Abby Sunderland has been found alive and well in the Indian Ocean after her boat was damaged by 30-foot waves, knocking out her communications and prompting her to set off a distress signal.
Now, there's one question on many people's minds: What were her parents thinking?
The 16-year-old was attempting to become the youngest person to ever to circumnavigate the globe.
Many have criticized Sunderland's parents for allowing the high-risk adventure, one of several by young people looking to make the record books.
Some veteran sailors said it's all but irresponsible to send a teenager off alone in a small boat, knowing it will be tossed about like a toy for 30 or more hours at a time by the giant waves that rake the Southern Hemisphere's oceans this time of year.
Sunderland's family defends her trip, saying that as a lifelong sailor she was as well prepared for the journey as anyone could be. Her brother successfully circled the globe last year when he was about the same age.
"Sailing and life in general is dangerous," her father, Laurence, said. "Teenagers drive cars. Does that mean teenagers shouldn't drive a car? I think people who hold that opinion have lost their zeal for life. They're living in a cotton-wool tunnel to make everything safe."
A fishing vessel is currently en route to pick the teen up and bring her back to land. The vessel is expected to reach her by Saturday afternoon, California time.
She set off a distress signal Thursday after rough seas disabled her ship and her satellite phone reception.
There were 20 hours of tense silence before a search plane launched from Australia's west coast made brief radio contact with Sunderland and found her alive and well Friday morning.
They spotted Sunderland on the back deck of her boat. Its mast had been broken, knocking out satellite communications. Its sail was dragging in the water but Sunderland appeared to be in good shape.
Abby Sunderland had last made contact with her support crew at 6 a.m. Thursday PDT, near the French-controlled Reunion Islands off Madagascar.
Three rescue vessels were dispatched from Lower Reunion to find her, and an aircraft also took off from Perth on a four-hour flight to Abby's last known location.
The Qantas Airbus A330, whose crew ultimately made contact with the teen, took off at 7:53 a.m. Friday Perth time (23:53 GMT).
Abby activated two emergency beacons on her boat because a mast broke, according to her brother, Zac.
"She's got all the skills she needs to take care of what she has to take care of, she has all the equipment as well," said Zac, himself a veteran of a solo sail around the world at age 17.
Los Angeles sector Coast Guard Lt. Ana Thorsson said Sunderland's emergency beacon signal was picked up by her agency in Northern California.
Abby was about 2,000 miles southwest of Australia.
Her mother, Marianne, said she was talking to Abby about 5:30 a.m. Thursday morning when the satellite phone connection died.
Now, there's one question on many people's minds: What were her parents thinking?
The 16-year-old was attempting to become the youngest person to ever to circumnavigate the globe.
Many have criticized Sunderland's parents for allowing the high-risk adventure, one of several by young people looking to make the record books.
Some veteran sailors said it's all but irresponsible to send a teenager off alone in a small boat, knowing it will be tossed about like a toy for 30 or more hours at a time by the giant waves that rake the Southern Hemisphere's oceans this time of year.
Sunderland's family defends her trip, saying that as a lifelong sailor she was as well prepared for the journey as anyone could be. Her brother successfully circled the globe last year when he was about the same age.
"Sailing and life in general is dangerous," her father, Laurence, said. "Teenagers drive cars. Does that mean teenagers shouldn't drive a car? I think people who hold that opinion have lost their zeal for life. They're living in a cotton-wool tunnel to make everything safe."
A fishing vessel is currently en route to pick the teen up and bring her back to land. The vessel is expected to reach her by Saturday afternoon, California time.
She set off a distress signal Thursday after rough seas disabled her ship and her satellite phone reception.
There were 20 hours of tense silence before a search plane launched from Australia's west coast made brief radio contact with Sunderland and found her alive and well Friday morning.
They spotted Sunderland on the back deck of her boat. Its mast had been broken, knocking out satellite communications. Its sail was dragging in the water but Sunderland appeared to be in good shape.
Abby Sunderland had last made contact with her support crew at 6 a.m. Thursday PDT, near the French-controlled Reunion Islands off Madagascar.
Three rescue vessels were dispatched from Lower Reunion to find her, and an aircraft also took off from Perth on a four-hour flight to Abby's last known location.
The Qantas Airbus A330, whose crew ultimately made contact with the teen, took off at 7:53 a.m. Friday Perth time (23:53 GMT).
Abby activated two emergency beacons on her boat because a mast broke, according to her brother, Zac.
"She's got all the skills she needs to take care of what she has to take care of, she has all the equipment as well," said Zac, himself a veteran of a solo sail around the world at age 17.
Los Angeles sector Coast Guard Lt. Ana Thorsson said Sunderland's emergency beacon signal was picked up by her agency in Northern California.
Abby was about 2,000 miles southwest of Australia.
Her mother, Marianne, said she was talking to Abby about 5:30 a.m. Thursday morning when the satellite phone connection died.
