DECEASED CRUISERS MOST LIKELY VICTIMS OF FOOD POISONING – OSASA
Food poisoning appears to have been the cause of death in the mysterious case of two sailors found deceased on their cruising yacht Acteon in the Mozambican channel in early December.
Frenchman Pascale Mahe and Australian Dierdre Sibly had set sail from Reunion in July and were en route Durban when they reportedly made a distress call – the last known contact. A cargo ship responded to the call but was unable to board, whereupon two other vessels diverted course to assist.
The pair were reportedly experienced sailors.
The yacht’s location, adrift between Madagascar and South Africa, prompted initial speculation about possible foul play on account of previous piracy incidents in that area. However, preliminary findings suggested otherwise, according to a news update this week by the Ocean Sailing Association of Southern Africa (OSASA). “Tests are still underway in Mayotte (where the yacht was towed by the French navy), but the autopsies appear to show that food poisoning is what killed them,” OSASA said.