Round-The-World Sailor, 16, Missing

[platypus]

Glad she has been found safe and sound.

I'm glad her parents let her do it, it may be irresponsible, but I think we're too nannyed this day and age.

 

[K1LLSW1TCH]

Great news that she was found safely.

 

[Knubje]

Lucky girl to be honest. Still good news shes alright.

 

[wordy]

Glad she's ok.

Suprised Obama hasn't blamed Britain for her running into trouble yet.

 

[taximike]

She looks so hot in that picture. I'd get arrested in her home state of California for tapping that though

 

[Marky]

Very brave thing to do - I hope she is found safe and well

 

[PhillyDee]

A teenage US sailor who went missing while sailing solo around the world has been found safe and well, her family has said.

Abby Sunderland, 16, was more than 3,220km (2,000 miles) from the coasts of both Africa and Australia when she set off distress beacons.

Search vessels were on their way to her but her father said the boat had now been found with her on board.

"It's huge, fantastic, exciting news," Laurence Sunderland told ABC News.

Very brave thing to do - I hope she is found safe and well

Done. You get extra points for reading the thread fully.

 

[Dazza_Random]

well done to her for getting that far

 

[Gamer_T]

Brave girl. Glad she's OK.

 

[territt]

Ok so little rich girl is safe now, end of thread yay?!

whats with the "little rich girl" thing? what does her prerents having money have to do with the story?

 

[Dutch Guy]

Why do people have problems with the girl doing this?
If she wants it and her parents agree, what's the problem?

 

[Begbie]

Glad she's ok.

Suprised Obama hasn't blamed Britain for her running into trouble yet.

Sucked in by the media much?

 

[semi-pro waster]

She took a risk to do something amazing, all I commend her for that. She could die having a piano fall on her head walking down a highstreet why not die trying to do something amazing?

How many people die via pianos falling on their head when compared to those who die adventuring? I've got my distinct suspicions that you're in a far smaller and more amazing class of people if you're hit by a piano or safe falling from a great height.

However joking aside it is an amazing achievement to circumnavigate the Globe and I'm glad she has been found safe.

Why do people have problems with the girl doing this?
If she wants it and her parents agree, what's the problem?

If those were the only two parties then it might not be a problem but there are also the rescue services/other ships that have to be diverted to go and search for her potentially putting other lives in danger. It's true of course that this may be the case for an older adventurer too but an argument can be advanced that they are likely to be more aware of the risks and the potential rescuers are less likely to put themselves in jeapardy than they would be for a child.

There are also arguments about whether she is old enough to give informed consent to such a course of action or whether undue influence has been brought to bear by parents, intentionally or otherwise. Personally I think she probably is but there are grey areas around this type of issue so it's not easy to categorically state that such adventures are always ok or not.

 

[Amp34]

She was not sailing a ship solo in the ocean when she was 6 years old

Well probably not, but then 17 year old learner drivers don't normally go on the motorway...

She was probably in a Dingy at that sort of age however...

 

[Amp34]

If those were the only two parties then it might not be a problem but there are also the rescue services/other ships that have to be diverted to go and search for her potentially putting other lives in danger. It's true of course that this may be the case for an older adventurer too but an argument can be advanced that they are likely to be more aware of the risks and the potential rescuers are less likely to put themselves in jeapardy than they would be for a child.

There are also arguments about whether she is old enough to give informed consent to such a course of action or whether undue influence has been brought to bear by parents, intentionally or otherwise. Personally I think she probably is but there are grey areas around this type of issue so it's not easy to categorically state that such adventures are always ok or not.

But again it all depends on experience. If I was out with someone I'd far rather it be a 16 year old with 10 years sailing experience than a 40 year old with just a few...*

Problem is so many adults treat "children" like, well children. In other countries these people would have been working for years, probably married and with kids yet in the UK and US some people still think 16 year olds shouldn't be let out after dark...

*Having sailed/boated with some 18 year olds I know not everyone is made the same, some of them had years of experience and could put recreational sailers with 20 years experience to shame. Experience and ability over age any day (which I think is a law in the UK... )

 

[Indy500]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...lor-Abby-Sunderland-found-alive-and-well.html

Looks like the boat took a beating from the storm, she won't be able to continue.

After a four-hour flight to Abby’s last known location more than 2,000 miles from both Africa and Australia, the plane crew spotted her boat in an upright position and made contact with her via radio.

The teenager was inside the boat and uninjured with a heater and at least two weeks worth of food. However, the mast had broken off the boat, disabling the craft and effectively ending her record attempt.

A fishing boat is heading to pick her up and is expected to reach her in about 40 hours.

 

[GreatAuk]

Problem is so many adults treat "children" like, well children. In other countries these people would have been working for years, probably married and with kids yet in the UK and US some people still think 16 year olds shouldn't be let out after dark...

Yes, because 16 year old parents is exactly what this country needs more of, not like getting a good education and growing up first is important or anything

 

[Indy500]

Yes, because 16 year old parents is exactly what this country needs more of, not like getting a good education and growing up first is important or anything

A "good education" is subjective. But I'll agree that 16 is too young for 99% of people to be having kids.

 

[Amp34]

But the harshest criticism came from America. A columnist in the Los Angeles Times accused her parents of “child abuse” for allowing their daughter to go ahead with her voyage and described the mission as "outrageous, ridiculous, incomprehensible insanity".

TJ Simers wrote: “Why is any 16-year-old allowed to place herself in harm’s way? Why would any parent allow such a thing?

"I just don’t understand the idea of risking life. This kid’s going to be out there all by herself. Death is a possibility. Bad weather. Are you kidding me? Who’s responsible for this? She’s a kid.”

Oh shut up, go back to your warm (not hot, that's dangerous!) coco and your cotton wool room...

Some people actually like danger and don't think young people should be wrapped up in cotton wool the entire time...


Although one question that does come up is who's final decision was it to use that boat and that course? Did they know it was dangerous before hand but risk it to get round faster?

 

[Amp34]

Yes, because 16 year old parents is exactly what this country needs more of, not like getting a good education and growing up first is important or anything

*Whooosh....*

Whoops, there goes the point! Way, way over your head...

The point was that it is our society that decided that 16 year olds aren't old enough to take care of themselves. In a huge number of other places 16 is perfectly fine to take care of themselves.

Of course I'm not advocating loads of 16 year olds in this country having babies... I was using it (quite obviously) as an example of other nations feelings about 16 year olds...