Tragedy after French and Australian cruisers who have been crusing from Reunion Island to Durban, South Africa, are found lifeless aboard their yacht in mysterious circumstances
Two sailors have been found lifeless on their yacht, whereas crusing between Madagascar and Mozambique, off Africa’s south east coast within the Indian Ocean.
The yacht Acteon is a 50-footer registered in France, and was crusing within the Mozambique Channel, round 200 miles north east of Beira, Mozambique.
The 2 sailors have been named as Deirdre Sibly, 67, of Port Lincoln, Australia, and Frenchman Pascal Mahe. Each are understood to be extremely skilled cruisers.
The pair have been crusing to Durban, South Africa from Reunion Island, when a misery name was despatched from their yacht on Thursday, 27 November, which was obtained by a cargo ship within the space that alerted French authorities.
Deirdre Sibley, an Australian cruiser reported to have been discovered lifeless aboard the yacht she was crusing within the Indian Ocean, in a photograph launched by her sister Sue Good.
Talking to The Guardian in Australia, Deirdre Sibly’s sister Sue Good stated that the cargo ship approached Acteon however was unable to board the yacht. Two extra vessels then joined the rescue effort, and crew have been capable of get aboard.
“I had a name from [the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade] at about 10am Friday morning, that’s after they informed me somebody was capable of board the yacht and a person and lady had been discovered deceased,” Cook dinner confirmed to Guardian Australia.
Talking to Australian information broadcaster ABC Adelaide, Good was additionally quoted as saying: “We’re simply devastated; she’d been away crusing with Pascal since early June … she was so comfortable.”
The yacht Acteon, as recognized on the Marine Visitors AIS monitoring web site. Picture Fran Solly/Marine Visitors
Piracy hypothesis
There was no official indication of a probable reason for loss of life, although some on-line stories have speculated that piracy could also be concerned.
The Australian Division of International Affairs and Commerce has confirmed it was “offering consular help to the household of an Australian lacking within the Mozambique channel”.
A spokesman added: “Our ideas are with the household at this distressing time.
“Owing to our privateness obligations we’re unable to offer additional remark.”
Traditionally there have been quite a few incidents of Somali pirates focusing on yacht sailors, most excessive profile of which have been the Chandlers, who have been kidnapped from their yacht close to the Seychelles in 2009 and held captive for over a 12 months earlier than being launched in 2011. That very same 12 months 4 American sailors have been killed after being hijacked off the coast of Oman.
The Gulf of Aden has been recognized to be a excessive threat space for over twenty years, though some yachts do nonetheless transit the realm – 50-60 yachts are estimated to have crossed the Suez Canal in 2023 and 2024.
The reported location of the yacht Acteon when it issued a misery name on 27 November.
The waters additional south have been beforehand considered decrease threat, although a radical Islamist insurgency in northern Mozambique, funded partially by drug smuggling from Afghanistan to East Africa, led to authorities warning of an elevated piracy threat within the space from 2020/21 onwards.
The Mozambique Channel is a key delivery route, and in addition a serious oil and gasoline manufacturing space.
Madagascar and the japanese aspect of the channel have been beforehand thought-about safer, although Madagascar has additionally skilled political upheaval and unrest, with a coup in November 2025.
The yacht Acteon is known to nonetheless be adrift. We’ll report extra when we have now additional info.
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