The bodies of a couple who embarked on a transatlantic sailing voyage have been discovered on a washed-up liferaft, nearly six weeks after they disappeared.
According to a BBC report, British national Sarah Packwood and her Canadian husband, Brett Clibbery, are believed to have abandoned their yacht and perished before being found on Sable Island near Nova Scotia, Canada, on July 12.
The couple was reported missing on June 18 after departing Nova Scotia aboard their 13-meter (42-foot) eco-friendly yacht, Theros, a week earlier. They were en route to the Azores, approximately 3,228 kilometers away, with an expected voyage duration of 21 days.
Mr. Clibbery’s son, James, confirmed their deaths in a Facebook post, describing the recent days as “very hard” and stating they would be “forever missed.”
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police informed the BBC that the circumstances surrounding the tragic end to the couple’s transatlantic journey remain unclear, and an investigation is ongoing.
Investigators are considering the possibility that the yacht may have been struck by a passing cargo ship, possibly without the ship’s knowledge, as reported by Canadian news site Saltwire.
Despite efforts by the Canadian coastguard and military aircraft, no wreckage or traces of the boat have been located.
In a video shared on their YouTube channel, Theros Adventures, the couple detailed their ambitious journey, named the Green Odyssey, which relied on sails, solar panels, batteries, and a repurposed electric engine from a car.
“We’re doing everything we can to show that you can travel without burning fossil fuels,” remarked Mr. Clibbery in the video, uploaded on April 12.
Ms. Packwood enthusiastically added, “It’s probably the biggest adventure of our lives so far.”
The couple’s journey into this adventure began unexpectedly in London in 2015, where Mr. Clibbery, a retired engineer, was preparing to donate a kidney to his sister.
They later married on their yacht in Canada and reaffirmed their vows in a traditional handfasting ceremony at Stonehenge in 2017, as documented on Ms. Packwood’s personal blog. Their remarkable story was featured in a 2020 “How We Met” article in The Guardian.
Ms. Packwood, originally from Long Itchington, Warwickshire, had a background in humanitarian work, having served with the UN in Rwanda after the 1994 genocide.
In what tragically became their final update on June 11, the couple shared on Facebook: “Captain Brett and First Mate Sarah set sail on the 2nd leg of The Green Odyssey on board Theros, a GibSea 42-foot sailboat. Powered by the wind and sun. Heading east to the Azores.”
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