Missing in Indian Ocean

[Karletto]

it's 1 month old news, from my country. he reported broken forestay. a good news in my opinion is that his liferaft is missing. one of his stories was that when he was anchoring, his anchor hit a submarine below his boat.
Mercury: 72-year-old Slovenian yachtsman missing off west Australian coast

[Ram]

Im sorry and Sad for the ol timer-BUT A Submarine I think not!

[MarkJ]

Sad facts to this story so I copied the whole article.
I am very sad for the loss.

Often we have seen similar news reports. Small boats, lone elderly sailors... and boats found afloat with missing life rafts.


Mark

February 05, 2009 Edition 1

SYDNEY: A 72-year-old Slovenian aiming to become the oldest man to sail non-stop around the world is presumed dead since his yacht has been found abandoned off Australia's west coast
Jure Sterk set off from New Zealand in his 9m yacht in October 2007, hoping to make history both as the oldest man to circumnavigate the globe non-stop and in the smallest boat without an engine. He kept contact with amateur radio enthusiasts, and last reported in early January when he was believed to be 1 900km from the west Australian coast, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said.

Sterk encountered some bad weather around December 26, but told radio ham contacts he was not in any danger. A month later a merchant vessel spotted the badly damaged yacht abandoned and without its lifeboat 1 200km from the coast.
The yacht was in very bad repair and looked as though it had been abandoned. Crew from the merchant vessel could not board the yacht because it was so small and weather conditions were not conducive. They said they also could not raise Sterk on the yacht. - Sapa-AFP

[rebel heart]

Terrible news, terrible loss. These threads always turn into a blend of a discussion between sadness, and what can be learned from it.

I don't mean to make it an academic discussion with an intent of not giving respect to the lost sailor, but rather in the hopes that future mariners might be able to keep themselves out of trouble by learning from this.

The most striking thing to me, as seems to happen so often, is that the vessel was found. Abandoning a vessel (that was able to make it to land) is sad. Barring something we don't know about, the guy could have strapped himself into the settee with a box of crackers and some water and hopped off the boat when it finally hit land.

Tragic loss.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Ram

Im sorry and Sad for the ol timer-BUT A Submarine I think not!

He could have anchored off the coast of China?

[GordMay]

Jure Sterk had previously sailed around the world, over three years from 1991, and writing four books about his adventures.

He resumed sailing in 2004, but a Slovenian website later noted: "He always experienced problems. Mainly the problem is the boat and equipment."

After Mr Sterk left Tauranga, his boat's water maker failed after about 350 nautical miles and he turned back, into a storm, sparking a Coastguard search.

Early last year he was reported to have survived a big storm rounding Cape Horn, at the southern tip of South America.

But after getting past the Cape of Good Hope, at the tip of South Africa, something went wrong as he headed back towards New Zealand.

Round the world sailor presumed dead off Australia - World - smh.com.au

About Jure Sterk, who Sterk had sailed around the world once before, a three-year voyage ending in 1994.

Foto Besenièar

Jure Sterk’s (s/v “Lunatic”) position reports (call sign: S52YS) - no reports in the past 60 days
ShipTrak v3.0

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority reported that his last contact was made in early January (17TH ?) from about 1900 km (1140 mi.) off the Australian coast.
Jure Sterk’s “ShipTrak” position reports - no reports in the past 60 days
ShipTrak v3.0

[keelbolts]

My father, after spending 30 years at sea, told me "always step up into your lifeboat." Before that, I flew search & rescue for the USCG & I can tell you that, if your raft stays intact, you have a less than 10 percent chance of being found on a day when the probability of detection for a small sailboat is near 100 percent.

[Ram]

Originally Posted by keelbolts

My father, after spending 30 years at sea, told me "always step up into your lifeboat." Before that, I flew search & rescue for the USCG & I can tell you that, if your raft stays intact, you have a less than 10 percent chance of being found on a day when the probability of detection for a small sailboat is near 100 percent.

What about if you have an eburp this must changes things a lot?

[chala]

For a older person that will still beats the old people home.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Ram

What about if you have an eburp this must changes things a lot?

We had 30 people in the rigging of a tall ship on a 100% perfect flat day when a trawler sank at anchor from a seacock.

The trawler crew were in a 12 foot aluminum dinghy with 20hp OB and we couldnt see then till they were 200 meters from us.

It still amazes me

[READY2GO]

I agree with Chala, I'd rather go out that way, than a nursing home anyday.

[captain58sailin]

Amen. Sail on, Brother!

[2shiny]

My daughter is on a research cruise between Capetown and Fremantle, and they saw it, crew boarded vessel and no sign of the sailor aboard. Day before that, they were ca. 31.8°S, 89.0°E

[hookahjoe]

I'm the 2nd Officer on the Research Vessel Roger Revelle, we spotted the Lunatic yesterday around noon local on my watch, I called the Capt and we made the decision to board. We found nobody aboard, made recovery of logbooks, and recovered some of Jure Ster's photos. Conditions aboard the boat were bad, and due to swell and the boat banging into our ship, we didnt spend much time aboard in an effort to recover too many items. It looked as if the wind generator and bildge pump were still working, still had a fishing poll rigged, and a international orange forsail was rigged. At this link I have some pictures and my report to Aus. search and rescure. We have not had a reply back from search and rescue or the Slovenian Embassy, It is our desire to make sure his logbooks and photos get to his family. Anyone here in this community that could help, the effort would be appricited.

[Hud3]

hookahjoe,

Thanks very much for your on-the-scene update. It was kind of you to take the time to let us know what you found. Perhaps Karletto has information that could help you reach the family. I'll send him a note and ask.