A British-Canadian couple, who set sail across the Atlantic Ocean roughly six weeks ago, were found dead in a lifeboat off the coast of Canada. The bodies of Brett Clibbery and Sarah Packwood were discovered after their raft washed ashore on Sable Island, off the coast of Nova Scotia, reported the NY Post.
The pair had embarked on an ambitious journey across the Atlantic Ocean, sailing from Halifax to the Azores in their self-built, eco-friendly yacht, Theros. The 42-foot vessel, powered solely by electric, wind, and solar energy, was intended to demonstrate the feasibility of sustainable travel. The couple had been posting about the construction of Theros on their YouTube channel, "Theros Adventures," and this voyage was to be their inaugural fully "green" journey.
They left Halifax Harbour on June 11 aboard their yacht bound for the Azores region of Portugal. They were reported missing on June 18 and found three weeks later on July 10.
While initially reported to be from British Columbia, it is believed that Ms Packwood was from the UK and Mr Clibbery was from Canada. Formal identification is still pending.
The cause of death is not yet known. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police are investigating the incident.
Their sailboat, Theros, was severely damaged, and investigators suspected that it was struck by a larger vessel.
The area they were sailing in is notoriously known as the "Graveyard of the Atlantic" due to the large number of shipwrecks that occurred there. The exact circumstances of the incident are still unknown, but investigators are exploring several theories.
One leading theory is that Theros was hit by a bulk carrier, which may have caused significant damage to the sailboat. Investigators have inspected a carrier ship, which was in the same area as Theros at the time of the incident, but they have not released their findings, as per the Saltwire.
The crew of the carrier ship reported that they did not notice any damage or collision, the Mirror reported. Some veteran sailors have suggested the homemade additions to Theros may have contributed to the tragedy, particularly the excessive weight of batteries and solar panels, which may have destabilised the boat.
Brett Clibbery and Sarah Packwood met by chance in 2015 at a bus stop in London. At the time, Ms Packwood was preparing to donate a kidney to her sister, while Mr Clibbery was visiting from Canada. This chance encounter led to them eventually falling in love and getting married on their yacht, Theros, in 2016.
