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Germans Yachties Released by Pirates 2 German cruising sailors have been set free by Somali pirates after a very long 41 days being held in captivity. News reports are stating that they were released after being held at in remote northern Somalia since being taken in June. The talk is that a very large ransom was paid estimated at around $1 million dollars. The sailors 63-year-old Juergen Kantiner and 51-year-old Sabine Merck are due to fly to Germany early next week.
Inquest Tries to Unravel Mystery In reality no one will every really know what became of the 3 men who disappeared from a catamaran off the Queensland coast in 2007. The coroner has blamed a tangled fishing lure for triggering a series of events that cost the three men their lives. The Queensland Coroner Michael Barnes found that West Australian Derek Batten, 56, Peter Tunstead, 69, and his brother James, 63, drowned about 11am on April 15 last year off George Point north of Airlie Beach in Queensland, less than four hours after beginning an 8 week voyage back to Perth.
After a long investigation that included many witnesses, and many marine experts and yachties, a video shot by Jim Tunstead showed the 3 men happily fishing at 10.05am. From this they have deduced that a tangled lure was a key to the mystery. This theory was that he or his brother Peter fell off the stern while trying to retrieve a fishing lure, the other went to his aid, and that falling in would be easy and getting back on board nearly impossible.
The coroner stated that Mr Batten would then have started the Kaz II's engine, and the engine was still running when the vessel was boarded 4 days later and that he was likely to have gone overboard by an uncontrolled jibe while trying to get the sails down. Foul play was ruled out after crime scene investigators said there were no signs of struggle or blood. The only real clue was the damage to the boat, a coffee mug and pile of clothes found on deck. The mainsheet traveller had also ripped away from the deack, and this supported the jibe theory. Well like most sailors that is just one theory and many others are still out there. The lesson is always wear a harness, I do! Like many I am not sure, things such as the fenders over the side and other signs cast some doubts.
John C Payne
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