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Teen Sailor Abby Sunderland Missing

Cruises, Natural Disasters, Solo Travel — on June 10, 2010 12:51 pm

Teen Sailor Abby Sunderland Missing - photo from her blogRescue efforts are underway to locate Abby Sunderland, the 16-year-old sailor who was past the halfway mark on her solo journey around the world.

Two emergency beacons were manually activated early this morning in the southern Indian Ocean after Sunderland faced heavy winds that knocked down her boat, a 40-foot sailboat she named Wild Eyes.

The Coast Guard alerted her parents, Laurence and Marianne Sunderland, of the signals soon after they lost satellite phone contact with their daughter.

Sunderland, whose older brother Zac sailed solo around the world at age 17, set sail in January with the goal of becoming the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe solo and without stopping.

Teen Sailor Abby Sunderland MissingHer dream ended last month when she was forced to stop in Cape Town, South Africa for autopilot repairs, but she vowed to complete her journey.

As a longtime friend of the Sunderland family, Peter is asking everyone in the travel community to pray for her safe return home.

By Sarika Chawla for PeterGreenberg.com.

Listen to an interview with Abby Sunderland on Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio here.

  • Cantonhales

    Praying the adventure seeking young woman is safe and well.

  • MJ

    I hope against hope that she is found. She is such an inspiration.

  • David

    God…please guide Abby home safe. Let her beacons be seen from above and help her stay calm and brave.

  • Lhing

    Hope and Pray that she’ll be safe…

  • Soxnut11

    I concur. Abby gets the EXTRA “Our Father” tonight… and there’s ALWAYS an extra…

  • Mike

    please be OKAY

  • barry

    She and her parents needs a timeout.Come on people a 16 year old should not be in the middle of the I.O. its winter down there.Her dad needs his butt kicked

  • debbie

    i just want to know, what kind of twisted mom and dad are you?…. you should be held responsible if anything happens to her…you are 2 …STUPID people…hope you have nightmares of sharks and your nights are hell…think how she must feel, alone, scared….real parents dont let their children..just take off..in a BOAT..and sail across the world….get some help and have no more kids…..
    from a true meaning of a mom….me!!

  • debbie

    for chldren to think its ok to sail across the world alone….not!!

  • debbie

    but yes she is in my prayers….