LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio (SCPR), a member-supported public media network. Hear our news on-air at our partner site:
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
The 16-year-old Thousand Oaks teen trying to sail around the world alone was spotted and found to be in good condition. While in the rough seas of the Indian Ocean yesterday morning, Abby Sunderland set off her emergency beacons, prompting a search and rescue missions while the world awaited news of what happened.
A plane sent out to look for Sunderland spotted her and made radio contact. Her boat "Wild Eyes is upright but her rigging is down," her family wrote on her blog. "The weather conditions are abating. Radio communication was made and Abby reports that she is fine!" Boats that launched to locate her had a 40-hour journey ahead of them. They should arrive by the end of today.
The incident has people throwing criticism to the Sunderlands, all who are sailing veterans. Father Laurene Sunderland told ABC's "Good Morning America,""How many teenagers die in car accidents every year? Should we stop them from driving cars? ... Life is dangerous."
Last year, Abby's older brother Zac Sunderland successfully sailed around the world solo when he was 17.