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From: Louis & Mariella (no email)
Date: Sat Jan 10 2004 - 22:05:20 EST
Found this regrettable story online...
Regards,
Louis
s/v Synergy
Westsail 32 #679
Link:
http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/story.asp?id=27E858A3-
806B-4CB2-832F-E7177024B359
Story:
CHARLIE FIDELMAN
The Gazette
Wednesday, January 07, 2004
A Montrealer's dream of a year-long sailing trip has turned into a
nightmare for his family after he went missing on New Year's Day.
Christian Tremblay, 33, disappeared in the Caribbean waters off the
French island of Martinique after attending a party.
He was last seen jumping aboard a Zodiac-type inflatable boat at 4
a.m. to return to his sailboat, anchored about 75 metres from shore,
his brother Sébastien said.
Tremblay's shipmate, Laurent Sicard, alerted police when he failed to
return to the ship by Jan 2.
Desperate for news, Tremblay's father and uncle flew to Martinique
two days ago intending to charter a plane to circle over
international waters because, as Sébastien said, "we're not getting
any help.
"Why is nothing being done?"
The French authorities searched but found nothing.
The family is worried strong winds of 20 to 25 knots drove the Zodiac
into international waters.
"(Either) he ran out of gas and drifted out into the ocean. Or he was
kidnapped. But no Zodiac was found and these things are unsinkable,"
his brother said.
Canadian and French officials suggest two scenarios:
First, Tremblay may still be on French ground.
But the more likely scenario is he has drifted somewhere between
Puerto Rico and Venezuela, said Reynald Doiron of the Canadian
Department of Foreign Affairs.
"That's based on calculations of wind and stream patterns," Doiron
said. "The field is pretty wide. No one knows exactly what happened."
Canada is now trying to establish a search team of French, Dutch and
U.S. marines to look for Tremblay based on such patterns, Doiron said.
But the Americans have yet to respond, he said. "We should know
tomorrow. It takes time to put things together and convince
authorities to launch something.
"The fact is, we learned of his disappearance two to three days
after. It takes time to deploy teams to sea."
That's no comfort for the Tremblay family in Montreal.
They've kept a collection of e-mail letters he sent home from every
port since starting this trip in April.
His boat sailed from La Rochelle, France, down the coast of Spain
before crossing the Atlantic to arrive at Martinique.
The last letter, announcing a party at the Ti-Sable restaurant, also
wished everyone a happy new year.
"I replied that I was anxious to see him. I was supposed to join him
in Martinique in January," Sébastien Tremblay said.
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