Australian family attacked by pirates on sailing trip
An Australian family travelling around the world on a sailing trip has reportedly been attacked by pirates off the coast of Yemen.
The Daily Telegraph reports Louise Turner, her husband Lachin and their two young children were sailing in what they believed to be a safe corridor when they were approached by the rouge vessels.
“We were essentially sitting ducks,” Ms Turner told the paper.
“We were at the wrong place at the wrong time. We were completely vulnerable.”
The family was reportedly stalked by the pirate skiff for about four hours, with more vessels approaching them with intermediary tactics designed to halt their progress.
The vessels continued to follow and Ms Turner grew terrified for the safety of her children Siara, 11, and Kai, 4, issuing a frantic mayday call of “imminent pirate attack”.
As Ms Turner operated the catamaran and her husband frantically manned the engine, the mayday was received by a container ship and passed onto warships patrolling the area.
The pirates reportedly “looked eerily focused as they completed their reconnaissance.”
“Effectively they were shepherding us away from the closest vessel that could assist us,” Ms Turner said.
With things looking decidedly grim, the family was relieved to receive a radio message advising a helicopter from a Japanese warship was on its way.
The Turners changed course to meet up with the warship, but not without more intimidation from the pirates who remained close.
Ms Turner said: “This was it for us. Attack imminent. Simply put, we could not possibly prevent them boarding us. But fate intervened and we believe it was only by minutes that the appearance of two warships on the horizon thwarted the attack.”
The Turners managed to make it to the friendly vessel and refuel, but are thanking their lucky stars the attack wasn’t a lot worse.
“We are incredibly lucky that we were not attacked, however, the threat was all too real,” Ms Turner said, with the family now back home safe.
“This has been a sobering and frightening experience.”
Hero image credit: The Daily Telegraph