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[email protected] DSchoonmaker@gmail.com is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Apr 2007
Posts: 4
Default 'Ghost yacht' found off Australia

On Apr 24, 7:43 pm, Don W
wrote:
Peter Hendra wrote:
I saw that story on Yahoo this morning also.
According to the story, the motor was running, a
laptop was on, and there was dinner set on the
table. The three crew were missing. How odd.
The Aussies have towed in the Cat and recovered
the GPS to look at where it has been.


Trying to think of possible scenarios:


1) Drug rendezvous off the coast went badly, and
crew were kidnapped or killed.
2) MOB and the rest of crew fell in during rescue
attempt?
3) Falling out among the crew. Murder & suicide?


Hmm...


Don W.


I somehow find it difficult to imagine a torrid love triangle between
three middleaged Australian sailors. It would be more likely to be
annoyance over warm beer.
regards
Peter


I'm over in the UK for the week. The papers here
are reporting the new wrinkle that the boats
fenders were deployed on one side of the cat
suggesting that another boat had come alongside.
Now if I were the investigator I'd be looking at
who gets the money if one of these guys disappears.

4) Boat intercepted by someone hired to make it
look like everyone on board was lost at sea.
(Didn't think of that one earlier).

5) Boat intercepted at sea by a kidnapper.

That boat was new, and anyone who can buy a new
45' cruising cat has some AU$'s. The expensive
stuff on board wasn't touched, so robbery wouldn't
have been the motive. ergo...

The sail plan for the boat was known, and they
were day sailing and coming back to the coast at
night to anchor. It would be relatively simple to
work out an intercept out at sea, or follow them
out out of visual range using radar.

How's that mast painting coming Peter?

Regards,

Don W.


Hadn't thought of the life insurance angle.

Still, there were three fenders on the port side and one on the
starboard side, which sounds more like sloppy seamanship to me. Also,
what I read suggested that the boat was five years old. Still a fair
chunk of change though.

David