'Ghost yacht' found off Australia

[Buzz Mills]

I think there is a lot more to this story than what we,re hearing...nothing about this story had made sense from the start.......insurance policies would be interesting to know.
The police keep ruling out foul play too...Im trying to understand how they can be so sure.

Dingo that's why I linked that one article where the police ruled out foul play; that article is dated a week ago, so the authorities ruled out foul play right from the very beginning. I think they confirmed the GPS data, and meteorlogical data, and knew that the men weren't on that boat for the whole day Sunday, the day they left.

That radio transmission at 6:45PM Sunday, didn't have to be made from the KAZ II. They could make that call from almost anywhere as long as they used that same frequency.

How better to show that the men didn't leave the boat willingly, then to leave many of your most valuable worldly belongings sitting on a table. Certainly looks to me like they had an accident, i.e. got swept off the boat. Looks like that to you, too?? However, how better to stage the perfect crime (faking one's death), than to leave that perfect scenario.

 

[Shazza]

Dingo that's why I linked that one article where the police ruled out foul play; that article is dated a week ago, so the authorities ruled out foul play right from the very beginning. I think they confirmed the GPS data, and meteorlogical data, and knew that the men weren't on that boat for the whole day Sunday, the day they left.

That radio transmission at 6:45PM Sunday, didn't have to be made from the KAZ II. They could make that call from almost anywhere as long as they used that same frequency.

How better to show that the men didn't leave the boat willingly, then to leave many of your most valuable worldly belongings sitting on a table. Certainly looks to me like they had an accident, i.e. got swept off the boat. Looks like that to you, too?? However, how better to stage the perfect crime (faking one's death), than to leave that perfect scenario.

Very interesting, will we ever know the truth, too many unanswered questions, Buzz you are really into this and seem to have a good knowledge of boating etc. What is your gut feeling.

 

[dingo]

I think foul play....

 

[scandi]

So Buzz, do you think their families are in on them possibly faking their demise?

 

[Buzz Mills]

Very interesting, will we ever know the truth, too many unanswered questions, Buzz you are really into this and seem to have a good knowledge of boating etc. What is your gut feeling.

I use logic Shazza, and know what the ocean is like, mainly from seeing the range of winds, and waves. This looks staged to me. Worst case the boat gets found in perfect condition the first day. Best case, is found shipwrecked, and almost everything is still on board, days later

So Buzz, do you think their families are in on them possibly faking their demise?

Must be, Scandi. I doubt they could pull it off without help.

One other thing is, nothing has been said, by LE, about the GPS data comparison. To me, they are just giving the families more rope, until they hang themselves. In the meantime, they are gathering more information, and evidence.

 

[Shazza]

I use logic Shazza, and know what the ocean is like, mainly from seeing the range of winds, and waves. This looks staged to me. Worst case the boat gets found in perfect condition the first day. Best case, is found shipwrecked, and almost everything is still on board, days later


Must be, Scandi. I doubt they could pull it off without help.

I did say real early on this thread that the private lives needed to be investigated, their insurances, family, etc.
It is my gut feeling that this was staged.

 

[Buzz Mills]

I did say real early on this thread that the private lives needed to be investigated, their insurances, family, etc.
It is my gut feeling that this was staged.

Shazza, we need A willing volunteer to find out who said "Check the insurance" first, second, and third, on this thread, so we can award the prizes. Of course we have to wait for LE to prove us right.

BTW, what sailor would willingly go out in 30 knot winds in a boat you hadn't really sailed before?? Unless they had the thought, if the boat flounders, all the better.

 

[IrishMist]

I don't know... if it was an insurance scam, wouldn't they go with something a little less mysterious?

 

[kahskye]

Although searches have been called off by authorities, family members have continued to look, spending tens of thousands of dollars hiring planes, helicopters and boats to search for the missing men on nearby islands.

James Tunstead's son Shane said the family was meeting with police to decide whether to continue the search.

If this is an insurance scam, why would the family members spend thousands of dollars? I'm beginning to think these three started over somewhere, but why? Has their personal life been checked? Are they any signs someone missed that now seem suspicious? Were their home computers searched for any clues? With those fenders down, I think someone picked them up, now if would could just answer the "who, what, why and where" to this mystery.

 

[Buzz Mills]

Decision on Kaz II search expected today

BRISBANE - The family of three boaties who went missing in bizarre circumstances from a yacht off the Queensland coast say a decision will be made today whether to continue searching for the trio.

There has been no sign of skipper Derek Batten and brothers Peter and James Tunstead, all from Perth, since their catamaran Kaz II was found adrift 160km north-east of Townsville on April 18.

They had left from Airlie Beach's Shute Harbour on a journey to Perth.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10436942

 

[Buzz Mills]

Map of Airlie Beach (where they left from) to Townsville (the KazII was first spotted 80 nautical miles Northeast of Townsville). Bowen (referenced in the 6:45PM call) is just North of Airlie Beach.

http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8....385825,148.480225&spn=3.830328,5.449219&om=1


The search area this weekend (islands off of the coast):
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=...8839,147.301941&spn=0.96542,1.362305&t=h&om=1

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/new...missing-sailors/2007/04/27/1177459966132.html

04-15-2007 Sunday -- Departed Airlie Beach Shute Harbour early A.M. in very high winds, it has been reported that winds got up to 30 knots that day.

04-15-2007 Sunday 6:45PM--radio transmission, relating their position, saying they were off of
George Point.

04-18-2007 Wednesday--KAZ II spotted 80 nautical miles Northeast of Townsville.

Foul play ruled out in “ghost yacht” mystery
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/Display...l/theworld_April537.xml&section=theworld&col=

 

[lymom3]

I just find it odd that 3 men would choose to disappear at the same time. One alone I can see. Maybe 2 somehow, but 3 stretches the imagination unless all were involved in some kind of bad business deal or illegal activities. Guess that goes back to checking their backgrounds thoroughly.

 

[jubie]

my thoughts about the pile or folded clothes on deck are that maybe they were asked at gunpoint to remove them.... looking for a hidden wire? To make it look like they went for a swim? I don't know but I don't think they undressed by choice, wouldn't they go down below and change into swim shorts?

This is sure a mystery.

 

[dingo]

I think theres a lot more to this story than meets the eye Jubie and hopefully we,ll find out some answers.

 

[Shazza]

We are all on a Merry Go Round, going round and round in circles, until we hear some factual news, or bodies are found or the men are found we are never going to know what really happened. We must leave it in the hands of the professionals and hope they can come up with the answers.

 

[Buzz Mills]

Families extend yacht search

THE families of three WA sailors missing from a yacht in bizarre circumstances off Queensland still cling to hope and plan to search for at least another week. Three of the sailors' daughters tonight were en route from Perth to Townsville to join other family members in the search for their fathers.

There has been no sign of skipper Derek Batten and brothers Peter and James Tunstead, all from Perth, since their catamaran Kaz II was found adrift 160km north-east of Townsville on April 18. They had left Airlie Beach's Shute Harbour headed for Perth. When their yacht was discovered, computers were still running, food was on the table, safety equipment was still on board and there was no indication of how the men disappeared.

The authorities stopped searching a week ago, but nine family members - sons of the missing men and nephews - have continued to look, spending tens of thousands of dollars hiring planes, helicopters and boats to scour nearby islands.

Mr Batten's niece, Hope Himing, said in Perth today the daughters would replace three members of the search team who would return home to Perth at the end of the week. ``The whole team is obviously exhausted, because they've been searching from sun-up to sun-down,'' Ms Himing said. ``Three guys are having to come back for work, but three of the daughters are flying over to Townsville at the moment to join the search, and it's been decided that the search is going to continue up to the end of the weekend.' Meanwhile, other family members in Perth were also considering joining the search, she said.

http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21498,21644071-2761,00.html?from=public_rss

 

[Alice253]

OK, I have tried to keep up with this thread, as this is very interesting. Maybe I missed this, but have the computers that were found on board been checked for activity? That should be a quick check, because all one would have to do is check the history, I would think. That would at least show if someone had actually been on the computer in the 3 days from sailing until found.

And Jubie, the folded clothes on deck really bother me, too. What was the purpose?

 

[narlacat]

They're probably at a bar in Airlie Beach- lol- it is paradise there- all the islands are up there- loved it- must go back

 

[Shazza]

They're probably at a bar in Airlie Beach- lol- it is paradise there- all the islands are up there- loved it- must go back

Been up that way too Narla, it was 1996 my eldest daughter won a modelling competition and one of the prizes was a weeks stay at Long Island, absolutely brilliant. I wouldnt blame the guys for hiding out up there its one of Australias most beautiful regions.

 

[narlacat]

Been up that way too Narla, it was 1996 my eldest daughter won a modelling competition and one of the prizes was a weeks stay at Long Island, absolutely brilliant. I wouldnt blame the guys for hiding out up there its one of Australias most beautiful regions.

Cool- good for her! and lucky you!

Oh yeah really nice up there- but they are probably out the back of Spain somewhere- Airlie would be the first place they looked LOL