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Authorities to question teen sailor over flight
Source: Agencies |
December 22, 2009, Tuesday
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DUTCH authorities tried to piece together yesterday how 14-year-old sailor Laura Dekker managed to slip out of the Netherlands and fly to the Caribbean, and whether anybody helped her flee.
Dekker, who lost a court battle in October to set off on a solo around-the-world sailing trip, was discovered on Sunday in the Dutch island territory of St Maarten, three days after her mother reported her missing.
It was unclear if she knew anybody on the island, half of which is part of the Netherlands Antilles, or whether she had plans to use it as a starting point for a sailing voyage. Unconfirmed reports said she left home with about 3,500 euros (US$5,000) in cash.
Yacht moored
Dekker's 8-meter yacht Guppy, which she planned to use for her circumnavigation, remained moored at its usual harbor in the Netherlands.
Police plan to interview Dekker when she returns home in coming days.
"We have a number of questions for her," police spokesman Bernhard Jens said, including "How did this happen? Why did you go? How did you go? Did you go with somebody else?"
Dekker's family has similar questions, spokeswoman Mariska Woertman said.
Having spoken briefly with Dekker on Sunday, Woertman said she was doing well "under the circumstances," but "we haven't had any time to talk yet about the reasons why. What exactly has been going on over the past few days or weeks? We just have to wait until she is back home and speak to her about that."
Dekker's planned trip would have made her the youngest person to embark on a solo circumnavigation, but judges ruled she was too inexperienced and ill-prepared to set sail.
That decision could explain her decision to run away.
Dekker, who lost a court battle in October to set off on a solo around-the-world sailing trip, was discovered on Sunday in the Dutch island territory of St Maarten, three days after her mother reported her missing.
It was unclear if she knew anybody on the island, half of which is part of the Netherlands Antilles, or whether she had plans to use it as a starting point for a sailing voyage. Unconfirmed reports said she left home with about 3,500 euros (US$5,000) in cash.
Yacht moored
Dekker's 8-meter yacht Guppy, which she planned to use for her circumnavigation, remained moored at its usual harbor in the Netherlands.
Police plan to interview Dekker when she returns home in coming days.
"We have a number of questions for her," police spokesman Bernhard Jens said, including "How did this happen? Why did you go? How did you go? Did you go with somebody else?"
Dekker's family has similar questions, spokeswoman Mariska Woertman said.
Having spoken briefly with Dekker on Sunday, Woertman said she was doing well "under the circumstances," but "we haven't had any time to talk yet about the reasons why. What exactly has been going on over the past few days or weeks? We just have to wait until she is back home and speak to her about that."
Dekker's planned trip would have made her the youngest person to embark on a solo circumnavigation, but judges ruled she was too inexperienced and ill-prepared to set sail.
That decision could explain her decision to run away.
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