Two sailors have been found dead on a yacht off the coast of South Africa after an incident that may have involved pirates.
The victims were identified as seasoned sailors Deirdre “Cookie” Sibly of Australia and Frenchman Pascal Mahe whom news.com.au reported Sunday were sailing near Madagascar.
The pair issued a distress signal on Thursday but were found dead once officials made it to the yacht. The pair were going down the Mozambique Channel on their way to Durban.
According to a report from the Sun, “Sibly’s family fear the culprits may have been pirates due to them being known to operate in the area where a distress signal was first made.”
The outlet said the channel is a notoriously dangerous area due to sea conditions and possible cyclones. Their bodies were found inside the yacht and investigators are still working to determine their causes of death.
“The Department of Foreign Affairs is yet to link the deaths to pirates,” the Sun article noted.
Sibly’s sister, Sue Good, told abc.net.au said her sibling was a wonderful person who loved adventure.
“She would have been sailing for about 40 years. She was just a lovely, friendly, kind-hearted person. She lived life to the fullest,” she commented.
According to INTERPOL, maritime crimes can have a significant impact on economies and the human cost can be immense:
Maritime crime affects many different countries on all continents and requires a comprehensive response from multiple agencies and sectors.
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Current statistics show that the Gulf of Guinea is the primary hotspot for maritime piracy, with incidents also occurring in the waters off the Horn of Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America and the Caribbean.
Pirate groups collect millions of dollars in ransom payments every year. These payments are divided between the pirates, their leaders and those who finance them.
When speaking of her sister, Good said, “We’re just devastated; she’d been away sailing with Pascal since early June … she was so happy.”
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