Abby Sunderland, Teen Sailor, Found Safe at Sea

(CBS/AP)  Updated at 2:24 p.m. Eastern.

Rough weather is delaying the rescue of a 16-year-old California girl adrift in her damaged yacht in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

Australian search rescue teams had spotted Abby Sunderland's vessel drifting in the frigid, rough Indian Ocean, her sailboat damaged by 30-foot waves that prompted her to set off a distress signal.

After a tense 20 hours of silence, a search plane launched from Australia's west coast had made radio contact with Sunderland on Friday.

Jeff Casher, an adviser to Sunderland's solo sailing attempt, said Friday that a French fishing boat will arrive later than the estimated time of 11 a.m. PDT (2 p.m. EDT) Saturday. He was not sure when the boat would arrive.

Her boat's mast was broken - ruining satellite phone reception - and was dragging with the sail in the ocean, said search coordinator Mick Kinley, acting chief of the Australia Maritime Safety Authority that chartered a commercial jet for the search.

But the keel was intact, the yacht was not taking on water, and Sunderland was equipped for the conditions, he said.

"The aircraft (crew) spoke to her. They told her help was on the way and she sounds like she's in good health," Kinley told reporters in Canberra.

"She's going to hang in there until a vessel can get to her," probably on Saturday, he said.

A lifelong sailor, Sunderland had begun her journey trying to be the youngest person to sail solo, nonstop around the world and continued her trip after mechanical failures dashed that dream.

She told searchers Friday that she was doing fine with a space heater and at least two weeks' worth of food, said family spokesman William Bennett. Support team member Jeff Casher said the boat had gotten knocked on its side several times.

Abby's father, Laurence Sunderland, thanked the Australian rescuers' quick response in sending out a search plane.

He told The Associated Press by telephone Friday that a fishing boat en route to his daughter's coordinates should arrive on Saturday. The seas in the area are still choppy, but calmer than before. "It's all looking very promising," he said.

Appearing on CBS' "The Early Show" Friday, he also defended he and his wife's decision to let their daughter embark on the dangerous voyage.

"How she's handled the situation she's in right now is another reason that you can be rest assured that she's more than qualified to survive and succeed out there," Sunderland said.

Abby Sunderland's Dad: She's More Than Qualified

Abby's brother, Zac, himself a veteran of a solo sail around the world at age 17, said he told his sister to be prepared for storms and other problems. But he said it's in her nature to handle those calmly.

"I think Abby is quite a conqueror, quite level-headed," her brother said on ABC's "Good Morning America" on Friday.

But renowned Australian round-the-world sailor Ian Kiernan said Abby should not have been in the southern Indian Ocean during the current southern hemisphere winter.

"Abby would be going through a very difficult time with mountainous seas and essentially hurricane-force winds," Kiernan told Sky News television.

Conditions can quickly become perilous for any sailor exposed to the elements in that part of the world.

Sunderland - whose father is a shipwright and has a yacht management company - set sail from Los Angeles County's Marina del Rey in her boat, Wild Eyes, on Jan. 23 in an attempt to become the youngest person to sail around the world alone without stopping. Her brother briefly held the record in 2009.

Sunderland soon ran into equipment problems and had to stop for repairs. She gave up the goal of setting the record in April, but continued.

On May 15, Australian 16-year-old Jessica Watson claimed the record after completing a 23,000-mile circumnavigation in 210 days. Watson and her family sent a private message of hope to Sunderland's family, spokesman Andrew Fraser said.

Friday's communication with Abby was the first since satellite phone communications were lost early Thursday.

She had made several broken calls to her family in Thousand Oaks, California, reporting her yacht was being tossed by 30-foot waves - as tall as a 3-story building. An hour after her last call ended, her emergency beacons began signaling.

The search plane - a chartered Qantas Airbus A330 jet that left Perth early Friday - jet faced a 4,700-mile round trip from Perth to Sunderland's boat, which is near the limit of its range.

Qantas spokesman Tom Woodward said the airliner flew five hours out to sea to reach the area where the beacons were transmitting, then maneuvered for another hour before spotting the 40-foot yacht. In all, it hovered over the site for two hours, Qantas said.

The Australian maritime authority did not say how much the rescue mission would cost but said it would not be seeking compensation for the search, which initially fell just outside of Australia's search and rescue region.

"That's the way the system runs," search coordinator Kinley said. "It's our obligation to do this and we'll fulfill those obligations as Australia does."

The CROSS maritime rescue center on the island of Reunion, off Madagascar, said it had sent three boats in her direction and they were expected to reach her Saturday.

Philippe Museux, CROSS director, told French RFO television station in Reunion that it had asked a fishing boat to head to the zone.

Sunderland left Cape Town, South Africa, on May 21 and on Monday reached the halfway point of her voyage.

On Wednesday, she wrote in her log that it had been a rough few days with huge seas that had her boat "rolling around like crazy."

Information on her website said that as of June 8, she had completed a 2,100-mile leg from South Africa to north of the Kerguelen Islands, taking a route to avoid an ice hazard area. Ahead of her lay more than 2,100 miles of ocean on a 10- to 16-day leg to a point south of Cape Leeuwin on the southwest tip of Australia.

[bud28dy]

Oh my goodness, her little adventure didn't go so well. Well it's time for rich daddy to buy his wittle guuurl a new toy to play with -- maybe a Formula Race car so she can race at Indianapolis!! OMG that would be like soooooooo totally awesome. She's daddy's rich little adventurer.

[ftsumner1]

Arses all.

[slvrsurfer3]

This is the biggest non-story since the balloon boy. Seriously, is this story worthy of national discussion?? Doesn't the media have better things to cover?

[JayAdler1]

The very moment I was apprised of this story and maybe because of my legal and governmental background, I could not understand the meaning of this odd set of particulars. When my kids were minors, I stopped them from staying out past midnight. The activities this young girl engaged in and I could care less how much training in sailing she had were dangerous and potentially fatal. She was in a crippled vessel in the middle of the ocean in high seas and 50mph winds. Are their depraved indifference or parental neglect laws in her state? Was this gag revealed to any law enforcement or social services agencies before it was commenced. This young girl in my state would be unable to affirm a contract in a valid sense because she is a minor. A male having sexual relations with her in my state would be liable for a felony charge called statutory rape. She seems to have been allowed to be restrained from all of these by virtue of her status as a minor but was allowed to engage in a massively dangerous voyage that historically since the Vikings has lead to countless deaths. Watching her parents on television my evaluation included such descriptions as cold and eerie. This a moneymaking story also, think about it.

[buddharealm]

this girl plus her parents represent the grit of the american spirit.
this grit of the american spirit is just exactly what the progressive liberal democratic socialist party wants to eliminate.

the democratic socialists can't stand anyone being independent, powerful, intelligent, determined, poised & successful.

the liberal democratic socialist party would find this girl useful if she would instead get knocked-up, get fat, stay stupid, maintain a victim mentality, get hooked on drugs, protest against anyone motivated to be productive, and rely on the govt for everything.
the girl should receive a ticket tape parade plus the presidential medal of freedom!!!

this girl represents the greatness that we the citizens intend re-create beginning this nov 2, 2010 by & through our votes!!!

[omega42]

maintain a victim mentality, get hooked on drugs, protest against anyone motivated to be productive, and rely on the govt for everything.
------------------------------------------------------------

Uhm, didn't she rely on the taxpayers of Australia to pull her ass out of the fire? You CONNEDservatives are absolutely incapable of ans sort of critical thought. Thank god there are people like Rush able to put something, anything, into your empty noggins.

[erasmus111]

by omega42 June 12, 2010 11:35 AM EDT
Uhm, didn't she rely on the taxpayers of Australia to pull her ass out of the fire?



That's exactly right.

If these kinds of idiots want to deliberately put their lives at risk, go ahead. But if they end up lost or dead, don't expect the taxpayers to bail you out. They need to pay someone up front to look for them, or their families need to do it.

And the media need not give them the attention they are so seeking.

[propitiation]

Thank God the girl has been found!

[mannamaribet]

The correct grammar for "he also defended he and his wife's decision" is 'he also defended HIS and his wife's decision'
You people are in a communication business- can you not get your grammar correct? Jeesh!

[titans58]

BTW everyone the aussies are going to take a lose on this.
Oh I read in here where some say what she is doing is better then sitting in a chir playing video games. Well thre are other things to do than trek across the world alone at 16.Like rake leaves. Swim in your pool, skate, bike riding, horseback riding even some fun family canoing. Come on stop making this like it was some good thing or she would have been sitting around turning to jello. There is always something safer to do and just as much fun. I still say this was all her dads doing. This was for fame and he ran with it. Noting like using your kids. Where is he from anyway, I heard a british type accent. I hope he learned something from this.

[Denise Murphy]

Hello Titans.
Australia provided the rescue assistance for humanity's sake. We have a significant commitment to Sea Search and Rescue, our rescue zone covers 10% of the earth's oceans.
During that initial period of the rescue, the co-ordinating organisation AMSA RCC, were ALSO involved in the rescue of 21 other people in distress in our area of responsibility.
France and Australia worked well together for a good outcome. It is part of our commitment to the Law of the Sea (SOLAS), of which the US is also a signatory.
As an individual, I would like to see Abby use her profile for good, to raise funds for dealing with the Gul oil crisis for example.
Best wishes to you all for coping with recalcitrant teenagers and their wide-eyed naive parents.

[titans58]

OMG on Facebook on Abby Sunderlands page there are so many enablers saying all kids should go for there dreams like Abby did. Are they out of there flipping minds. If we all did this as parents , just allow our kids to endanger there lives like that we wouldnt have many kids in the US would we. Youknow how kids are, they are fearless. Its not until you get older that you see the consequences of your actions and what they can do. Although thats not the case with her parenst. I feel this was more Dad saying yes then mom. If dad wasnt in the picture I bet mom would have said no. I saw the dad as a attitude kind of guy.

[titans58]

When is the US going to put a stop to these parents allowing there MINOR CHILDREN form doing these record breaking treks. We already know of the young boy who dies in the plane crash. Abby is very lucky, very. I was worried for prirates because those wtaers are full of them. She could have been raped or killed if the bad weather didnt get her first. And for the father to state cars are dangerous too was just the stupidist thing to say. You have more control over driving then you do with sailing in open waters alone and a young girl at that. What is wrong with parents now days ...JUST SAY NO!!!!!!! I seriously think Child services should have a chat with them.That was endangering there childs life.

[ewo1977]

When is the US going to put a stop to these posters allowing there ADULTS form posting these poorly spelled and gramatically incorect posts?

What with all the prirates in those wtaers.

Anyway, to think that a teen setting a goal and working her whole life to achieve it whether dangerous or not is ridiculous. I have a hard time trying to spin this story into a negative light. Good for Abby AND her family for having the guts and determination to do something great. Without people like Abby and her family nothing truly great and extraordinary would be accomplished because we'd all be doing something "safe".

Perhaps YOUR 16 year old isn't mature or responsible enough for something like this; that doesn't mean that ALL 16 year olds aren't adult enough to try.