Gumleaf
June 10th, 2010, 06:01 PM
08:13 AEST Fri Jun 11 2010
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/1067914/rescue-under-way-for-missing-teen-sailor
Conditions are poor and "quite dangerous" where a US teen is believed to have hit trouble during her Jessica Watson-style sailing bid around the world.
But Australian authorities involved in the search mission say hopes are high 16-year-old Abby Sunderland will be found safe and well.
Abby was past the halfway mark of her solo sailing trip on Thursday and sailing just off Australia's west coast when she hit trouble, activating two manual distress beacons.
A Qantas passenger jet, tasked by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, is expected to be the first on the scene about 2000 nautical miles west-south-west of Perth.
It will depart at first light.
"Once it gets to the position, we're hoping they will be able to sight Abby's yacht and make contact with her over the radio," AMSA spokeswoman Carly Lusk told ABC Radio.
"Conditions in the area at the moment are extremely poor.
"We're experiencing in that area 90km/h winds ... so it's quite dangerous."
Abby spoke to her parents in the United States just an hour before the distress beacons were activated, telling them she'd been knocked down several times due to the weather.
Several ships, co-ordinated by the international search effort which also includes French and US authorities, are on their way to the area.
Ms Lusk said as always, there was high hopes of a positive outcome.
"Going by the drift of the actual beacon in the water, we're hoping that she is still inside the vessel which is obviously hopefully upright."
Abby's water-activated beacon was not set off.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/1067914/rescue-under-way-for-missing-teen-sailor
Conditions are poor and "quite dangerous" where a US teen is believed to have hit trouble during her Jessica Watson-style sailing bid around the world.
But Australian authorities involved in the search mission say hopes are high 16-year-old Abby Sunderland will be found safe and well.
Abby was past the halfway mark of her solo sailing trip on Thursday and sailing just off Australia's west coast when she hit trouble, activating two manual distress beacons.
A Qantas passenger jet, tasked by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, is expected to be the first on the scene about 2000 nautical miles west-south-west of Perth.
It will depart at first light.
"Once it gets to the position, we're hoping they will be able to sight Abby's yacht and make contact with her over the radio," AMSA spokeswoman Carly Lusk told ABC Radio.
"Conditions in the area at the moment are extremely poor.
"We're experiencing in that area 90km/h winds ... so it's quite dangerous."
Abby spoke to her parents in the United States just an hour before the distress beacons were activated, telling them she'd been knocked down several times due to the weather.
Several ships, co-ordinated by the international search effort which also includes French and US authorities, are on their way to the area.
Ms Lusk said as always, there was high hopes of a positive outcome.
"Going by the drift of the actual beacon in the water, we're hoping that she is still inside the vessel which is obviously hopefully upright."
Abby's water-activated beacon was not set off.