A couple from the UK and Canada who embarked on a sailing trip across the Atlantic Ocean have been found dead on a washed-up life raft almost six weeks after disappearing. Sarah Packwood and Brett Clibbery set off on their journey from Nova Scotia in Canada in their eco-friendly sailboat, Theros, on June 11. They were heading to the Azores, which is approximately 3,228km away, and the trip was estimated to take 21 days. However, they were reported missing on June 18, and their bodies were finally discovered on July 12 on Sable Island, near Nova Scotia.
Canadian news website Saltwire reported that one theory being explored by investigators is that Theros was struck by a passing cargo ship that did not notice the collision, causing the couple to abandon the yacht and perish at sea. Saltwire quoted an anonymous source as saying, “The sailboat crew were either unable to avoid collision” or they could have been down below with Theros on automatic pilot.” A “multi-agency” investigation is currently underway.
Mr Clibbery’s son James confirmed that his father and stepmother had died in a Facebook post, writing that the last few days “had been very hard.” He added that the couple would be “forever missed,” and that “there isn’t anything that will fill the hole that has been left by their, so far unexplained passing.” Police have not yet commented on the cause of Mr Clibbery and Ms Packwood’s deaths.
The couple relied on sails, solar panels, batteries, and an electric engine repurposed from a car for their trip, which they called the Green Odyssey. They wanted to show that it was possible to travel without burning fossil fuels. In a video posted on their YouTube channel, Theros Adventures, the couple spoke about their journey, with Ms Packwood saying, “It’s probably the biggest adventure of our lives so far,” while Mr Clibbery added, “We’re doing everything we can to show that you can travel without burning fossil fuels.
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