Ghost Yacht Found off the Coast of Australia

[NiteTiger]

'Ghost yacht' found off Australia

All the vessel's sails were up, although one was badly torn

The drifting yacht
Emergency services in Australia have launched a search for the three-man crew of a yacht found drifting off the North Queensland coast.

The vessel was found with its engine running, and a table laid for dinner, but there were no signs of any people.

An air and sea rescue operation has been launched to retrace the yacht's voyage, and pinpoint the search area.

The three-crew members are thought to have set sail for Townsville from Airlie Beach on Sunday.

The 12m (40 foot) catamaran was spotted by a helicopter on Wednesday, but a rescue team only reached the boat on Friday, and confirmed that there was no one aboard.


Rescue crews say they are puzzled by the mysterious disappearance.

"The engine was running, the computers were running, there was a laptop set up on the table which was running, the radio was working... and there was food and utensils set on the table ready to eat," said Jon Hall, a spokesman for Queensland's Emergency Management office.

"It was a bit strange," he added.

All the vessel's sails were up, although one was badly shredded, and lifejackets were still on board.

Mr Hall said rescue workers had recovered the boat's global position system (GPS) device, which might give them more clues as to the crew's whereabouts.

"That will now enable us to track backwards where this yacht has actually been in the last few days, and we're hoping that can pinpoint the search area for the missing crew," he said.

Twelve aircraft are now searching for the crew of the boat which is already being dubbed "the ghost yacht".

Nothing wrong but a badly shredded sail, and missing with everything turned on and dinner set...


What the hell you guys got going on down there?!

 

[SEEDYNONO]

yeah saw this too haha that's creepy.. don't see how they will find them tho..

 

[mtnjohn]

hmmm....abducted by aliens..??

bizarre


mj

 

[Guest]

pirates

 

[Nikijad4210]

pirates

Quite possible.

 

[daisy jane]

That is pretty nuts. I have no clue what could have happened.

 

[hydroclops]

Capt Jack sparrow, I do believe

 

[Guest]

Capt Jack sparrow, I do believe

LMFAO!

 

[NiteTiger]

But with pirates, you'd expect something besides a torn sail? And where are the pirates? Why didn't they take the boat, or at least the valuables? A laptop sitting right in the open, turned on?

And why shred the sail?

This sounds like the opening to a freaking horror show to me

 

[demonicaardvark]

they probably went for a swim, either that or they got abducted by aliens

 

[daisy jane]

they probably went for a swim, either that or they got abducted by aliens

That is what I was thinking. Maybe they went for a swim and got eaten by sharks or drown.

 

[Dan42nepa]

Maybe one got drunk and fell overboard and somehow pulled the others over also. I would think pirates would have taken the boat or at least stripped it.

 

[m.steelers]

Snatch and grab ransom kidnap operation perhaps?

 

[Guest]

I wanta toke whatever is goin around, that's gotta be some good shit.

 

[Bob Labla]

probably hopped in teh water and forgot to drop the ladder thing to get back on the boat

 

[Tarkus]

probably hopped in teh water and forgot to drop the ladder thing to get back on the boat

Yup, that is probably exactly what happened. I have read a few stories about that before, one of the yachts that this happened on had quite a few fingernail scratches near the water line. That is where my money is, on them swimming.

 

[NiteTiger]

Why would they leave the engine running to go for a swim?

 

[bounty29]

Yup, that is probably exactly what happened. I have read a few stories about that before, one of the yachts that this happened on had quite a few fingernail scratches near the water line. That is where my money is, on them swimming.

Ugh, just reading that made me sick to my stomach. That's such a shitty way to go.

 

[bounty29]

Edit: Maybe someone fell overboard and the other two jumped in to save him? That actually sounds feasible in my head right now.

Edit: ...whoops, that wasn't an edit.

(That gravity bong I just built works amazing, btw.)

 

[Tarkus]

"Leave the engine running Jack, we are just gonna take a quick dip. Sally already got the table ready."
"Yeah, just a quick dip to get cooled off so we can eat."
Splash, splash splash.
"Hey George, since you were the last one off....which side did you hang the ladder?"

Horrible way to go.