Teen Sailor, feared lost at sea, located

16 year-old Abby Sunderland was found drifting in the Southern Indian Ocean

When Sunderland was located, her boat's mast was broken - severing satellite phone communication - and the sail was dragging in the sea.

WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - The wait is over concerning a 16 year-old Californian feared lost at sea while attempting to sail around the world. After 20 hours of silence, a Qantas Airbus A330, dispatched from Western Australia, was able to make radio contact with Abby Sunderland in the Southern Indian Ocean late Thursday.

With her boat damaged by 30 foot waves and her communications out, the teenage adventurer sent off a distress call while she was drifting in the frigid waters.

The French regional administration on the island of Reunion reported that it has sent three boats in her direction after making contact on Friday. The first boat is expected to reach Sunderland by Saturday.

Her family told Meredith Vieira on NBC 's TODAY Show that the wait for news was "tense."

Lawrence Sunderland, Abby's father and a shipwright who owns a yacht management company stated, "They're not enjoyable moments, of course, and your mind does play tricks with you. It's just a waiting game."

He also said the family was very fortunate to have a search and rescue team act as quickly as they did to find Abby.

Qantas Airline spokesman Tom Woodward told the Associated Press that the young sailor had been spotted half way between Australia and Africa and that the plane's crew had spoken with her by radio.

"Abby's in an OK condition; the yacht's damaged but it's seaworthy," said Woodward. "She's aware that there are other boats on the way to her location."

According to search coordinator Mick Kinley, acting chief of the Australia Maritime Safety Authority, when she was located, her boat's mast was broken - severing satellite phone communication - and the sail was dragging in the sea. The Maritime Authority has chartered the commercial jet for the search.

Kinley went on to state that the keel was in one piece, the yacht was not taking on water and Abby was equipped for the conditions." He told reporters in Canberra, "she sounds like she's in good health."

Prior to losing communication, she posted on her blog through the satellite link, that the boat was "rolling like crazy." "I am expecting that by midnight tonight I could have 35-50 knots with gusts to 60 so I am off to sleep before it really picks up."

She went on to say, "After the initial horror of seeing water pouring into your boat, your mind just goes into a survival mode and you don't give fear or any new problems a thought. Fear becomes dangerous; it makes you hesitant to deal with things and knocks your confidence."

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