sailor news stories on Newser

Experts Rebuild Faces of Civil War Sailors

Neal Colgrass — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 14:43:29 CST

Talk about a cold case: Forensic scientists have reconstructed the faces of two sailors who drowned in the USS Monitor 150 years ago in the hope someone will identify them, the AP reports. Experts at Louisiana State University built the faces around skulls of two skeletal remains recovered from the...

Sailor: Navy Trying to Boot Me Over Sleepover With Male

Kate Schwartz — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 10:27:44 CST

The story, as told by Navy Petty Officer Stephen C. Jones, sounds pretty innocent: On Feb. 5, a male sailor came to his room to watch The Vampire Diaries. They fell asleep. End of story. Except it wasn't. The Washington Post reports that while there's no evidence that anything sexual...

Somali Pirates Torturing Hostages

Matt Cantor — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 09:59:18 CST

Somali pirates beat, tortured, and threatened to kill captured South Korean sailors, the Telegraph reports. “Pirates trampled and beat me whenever I talked with my captain,” said one of the seven rescued sailors, who went home yesterday. “I lost my four front teeth after being hit by the elbow of...

Laura Dekker Sets Sail

Sat, 21 Aug 2010 09:14:16 CDT

Fourteen-year-old Laura Dekker quietly slipped out of an undisclosed Portugal port today, beginning her controversial quest to become the youngest person to sail around the globe. The Dutch teen began her journey, expected to take at least a year, on a nearly windless day, notes the AP. "She said goodbye...

Mom of Dutch Sailor, 14: OK, She Can Go

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 06:16:55 CDT

The mother of a 14-year-old Dutch girl who wants to sail solo around the world has given up her opposition to her daughter's planned trip. Laura Dekker's dream of becoming the youngest person to sail alone around the globe has been thwarted by a Dutch court that last year made...

Abby Sunderland Reunited With Brother

Sat, 26 Jun 2010 06:08:40 CDT

In a bittersweet reunion today, 16-year-old Californian sailor Abby Sunderland hugged her brother Zac as she teared up and defended her family against criticism that she had been too young to try to sail around the world alone. "I knew what to do. I was well-prepared for anything that could...

Teen Sailor's Mom: No Plans for Reality Show

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 06:36:00 CDT

Abby Sunderland's family abandoned plans for a reality show before the girl set sail and has no interest in revisiting them now, the 16-year-old's mother tells the AP. Marianne Sunderland also says the family has no interest in cashing in on her daughter's rescue with a documentary or other deal....

Teen Sailor's Family Can't Foot $300K Rescue Bill

Kate Schwartz — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 09:38:00 CDT

Looks like the Australian government is out $300,000. The mother of teen sailor Abby Sunderland says the family can't afford to foot the bill for the plane deployed to spot her daughter and the vessel delivering her to port because "we're not wealthy people." But Marianne Sunderland thinks another...

Teen Sailor: 'One Long Wave, and One Short Mast'

John Johnson — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 11:02:38 CDT

Abby Sunderland says she's "safe and sound" aboard a French fishing ship after being rescued from her Indian Ocean misadventure. "The long and the short of it is, well, one long wave, and one short mast," the 16-year-old writes on her blog from the rescue ship. She's already getting calls...