Search underway for Abby Sunderland
A search and rescue operation is underway for a 16-year-old California girl who was trying to become the youngest person to sail around the world alone.
Abby Sunderland was sailing into a storm Thursday in the Southern Indian Ocean when she lost contact with her family, according to her brother, KTLA reports.
The nearest boat in the area is reported to be at least 40 hours away, KTLA says.
The Associated Press reports that an emergency beacon locating device was activated an hour after communication was broken.
Sunderland left Marina Del Rey on Jan. 23 and originally planned to be at sea for five or six months.
Abby's blog: http://abbysunderland.com/
(Posted by Doug Stanglin)
Update at 7:30 p.m. ET:
An engineer who spoke with Abby earlier this morning said he believes she's alive, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Addressing reporters, Jeff Casher said he spoke to her at 3:45 a.m. PT, then lost contact after she went to check on some equipment. About an hour later, she apparently activated her emergency beacons, which sent automatic alerts to the Coast Guard and her family.
He cited three possible scenarios: the boat's mast came down, giving her no ability to sail the vessel; the keel hit something and possibly flipped the boat upside down; or she may have broken an arm or leg while being whipsawed about in violent waters.
Earlier, her brother, Zac, who sailed around the world solo when he was 17, said the ship has water-tight compartments that could protect her if the boat flipped. He also noted that a beacon that is activated by salt water at 15 feet deep has not been activated, indicating it has not sunk.
The Australian government is sending a Quantas Airbus to try to find her. Daylight in the Indian Ocean arrives between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. ET tomorrow.
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