Aussie Sailor, 16, Starts World Trip

Laura Dekker gets greenlight for around-the-world trip

(AP) - 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 her a ward of the state amid concerns over her physical ability and her social development if she is isolated and out of school for months. More»

(NEWSER) - Dutch authorities have gone to court to demand custody of a 13-year-old girl to block her planned solo sail around the world, reports the BBC. The girl's parents have already been denied permission for her to miss two years of school for the adventure. Laura Dekker, who has sailed since the age of 6, told Dutch TV she has dreamed of such a trip for years. "I want simply to learn about the world and to live freely," she said. More»

Dutch teen slips quietly out of Portuguese port

(AP) - 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 to her father and friends and she sailed away into the horizon," MasMedia, which has exclusive TV rights, said in a statement. More»

Zac Sunderland meets teen sailor off coast of Africa on way home

(AP) - 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 have happened," she said, flanked by Zac, 17, who flew to the French island of Reunion off east Africa to meet her. "I was on an adventure. You can only plan so far," she said. More»

Searchers talk to her via radio

(NEWSER) - Missing teen solo sailor Abby Sunderland has been located and is alive and well, her team revealed. Sunderland told searchers aboard a Quantas airbus, commissioned by the Australian government, that she's OK and has plenty of food, reports MSNBC . "Wild Eyes is upright but her rigging is down. The weather conditions are abating. Radio communication was made and Abby reports that she is fine!" her parents posted on her blog . A fishing boat is en route to help her, and should arrive in about 24 hours. More»