Australia authorities are appealing for information from anyone who may have seen an American sailor whose boat was found grounded on Cape Bedford Beach, north of Cooktown in northern Queensland last weekend.
Published 10 hours ago
The 14-metre boat named Ocean Rambler is registered to Hartwell Champagne, 62, who left Vanuatu on a solo journey to Australia on September 3.
Acting Detective Inspector Cindy Searle said police were trying to piece together the boat’s movements between Mr Champagne’s last logbook entry on September 10 and when the vessel was spotted on Saturday September 13. Police searched the area the next morning but found no sign of Mr Champagne.
Detective Inspector Searle said police had been able to contact Mr Champagne’s family in (the US state of) Texas but the conversations were “quite brief”.
‘We’ve identified they were expecting him to reach land in Australia and they were not aware there were any issues,” Inspector Searle said.
She said the family had been in contact with him during his journey from Vanuatu “as much as you can when you’re travelling on the open ocean”.
“There was an indication that he was to arrive in Cairns,” Inspector Searle said. “We are seeking information from anyone who may have seen the vessel on the water at any time or when it’s come in and appear to have run aground, as opposed to have been brought in under other circumstances. We’ve had no-one come forward having seen it there prior to late Saturday night, Sunday morning.”
Police are still investigating whether the boat was on autopilot or whether Mr Champagne was actively steering at the time.
“Our main priority at this point in time is appealing to anybody who may have been on the ocean or seen the vessel,” Inspector Searle said.
Anyone with information that may have sighted the vessel prior to Sunday, 14 September is asked to contact the Queensland Police via the Policelink website or direct to Cooktown police on + 61 (07) 40507628 quote the reference number: QP2501657177.
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This content was compiled by Noonsite from various news sources.
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