French sailor Marie Descoubes, 28, has been missing since November 5 while transporting a sailboat from Maine to Puerto Rico, Sud-Ouest reports. The vessel was expected in Bermuda on November 6. Descoubes, founder of the Élément-Terre Sail association and native of La Rochelle, was known for her focus on sustainable navigation, Sud-Ouest noted. She had previously shared her goal of completing a self-sufficient Atlantic tour.
Descoubes was sailing the SV Liahona, an 11.3-meter vessel, alongside experienced American sailor Nathan Perrins, 48, according to Sud-Ouest. The pair was scheduled for a Bermuda stopover on November 6, but all signals stopped the day before. Sud-Ouest also cited the maritime agency Boat Watch, which reported the last known position at 8:12 p.m. (Atlantic time) via GPS, about sixteen hours from Bermuda. The captain signaled low fuel but mentioned no "imminent danger" before communications ceased.
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The US Coast Guard and the Bermuda coordination center have initiated search operations, which have so far been unsuccessful, Sud-Ouest confirmed. The missing vessel is a cutter-type sailboat, identifiable by its white hull, navy blue finishes, and the call sign WDC5117.
Those close to the sailor are holding out hope and asking other boaters in the area to remain watchful. France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine contacted the sailor's mother, Nathalie Le Roux, who sought to be reassuring: "Avec Marie, il ne faut jamais s'inquiéter. C'est une très bonne navigatrice, le monsieur aussi a l'air très bien. J'ai peur d'alerter trop tôt et qu'elle me dise, 'Maman, tu t'es encore inquiétée pour rien'." (Attribution: Sud-Ouest / France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine).
