A sea of criticism for sailor’s parents

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES

What were her parents thinking? Many were asking that question as a 16-year-old girl sat adrift and alone in the southern Indian Ocean, her ship’s mast dashed along with her around-the-world sailing effort.

Abby Sunderland’s ship was rolling in 20- to 30-foot waves as she waited to be rescued by a boat that was expected to arrive early today Pacific time.

She set off a distress signal Thursday after rough seas disabled her ship and her satellite-phone reception. There were 20 hours of tense silence before a search plane launched from Australia’s west coast made brief radio contact with Sunderland and found her alive and well Friday morning.

Many people criticized her parents for allowing the high-risk adventure, one of several by young people looking to make the record books. Some veteran sailors said it’s all but irresponsible to send a teenager off alone in a small boat, knowing it will be tossed about like a toy for 30 or more hours at a time by the giant waves that rake the Southern Hemisphere’s oceans this time of year.

Sunderland’s family defends her trek, saying that as a lifelong sailor she was as well prepared for the journey as anyone could be.

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