Tragedy after French and Australian cruisers who were sailing from Reunion Island to Durban, South Africa, are discovered dead aboard their yacht in mysterious circumstances Two sailors have been discovered dead on their yacht, while sailing between Madagascar and Mozambique, off Africa\u2019s south east coast in the Indian Ocean.
\nThe yacht Acteon is a 50-footer registered in France, and was sailing in the Mozambique Channel, around 200 miles north east of Beira, Mozambique.
\nThe two sailors have been named as Deirdre Sibly, 67, of Port Lincoln, Australia, and Frenchman Pascal Mahe. Both are understood to be highly experienced cruisers.
\nThe pair were sailing to Durban, South Africa from Reunion Island, when a distress call was sent from their yacht on Thursday, 27 November, which was received by a cargo ship in the area that alerted French authorities.
\nDeirdre Sibley, an Australian cruiser reported to have been found dead aboard the yacht she was sailing in the Indian Ocean, in a photo released by her sister Sue Good.<\/p>\n
Speaking to The Guardian in Australia, Deirdre Sibly\u2019s sister Sue Good said that the cargo ship approached Acteon but was unable to board the yacht. Two additional vessels then joined the rescue effort, and crew were able to get aboard.
\n\u201cI had a call from [the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade] at about 10am Friday morning, that\u2019s when they told me someone was able to board the yacht and a man and woman had been found deceased,\u201d Cook confirmed to Guardian Australia.
\nSpeaking to Australian news broadcaster ABC Adelaide, Good was also quoted as saying: \u201cWe\u2019re just devastated; she\u2019d been away sailing with Pascal since early June \u2026 she was so happy.\u201d
\nThe yacht Acteon, as identified on the Marine Traffic AIS tracking site. Image Fran Solly\/Marine Traffic
\nPiracy speculation
\nThere has been no official indication of a likely cause of death, though some online reports have speculated that piracy may be involved.
\nThe Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed it was \u201cproviding consular assistance to the family of an Australian missing in the Mozambique channel\u201d.
\nA spokesman added: \u201cOur thoughts are with the family at this distressing time.
\n\u201cOwing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment.\u201d
\nHistorically there have been numerous incidents of Somali pirates targeting yacht sailors, most high profile of which were the Chandlers, who were kidnapped from their yacht near the Seychelles in 2009 and held captive for over a year before being released in 2011. That same year four American sailors were killed after being hijacked off the coast of Oman.
\nThe\u00a0Gulf of Aden has been known to be a high risk area for over two decades, although some yachts do still transit the area \u2013 50-60 yachts are estimated to have crossed the Suez Canal in 2023 and 2024.
\nThe reported location of the yacht Acteon when it issued a distress call on 27 November.
\nThe waters further south were previously thought to be lower risk, though a radical Islamist insurgency in northern Mozambique, funded in part by drug smuggling from Afghanistan to East Africa, led to authorities warning of an increased piracy risk in the area from 2020\/21 onwards.
\nThe Mozambique Channel is a key shipping route, and also a major oil and gas production area.
\nMadagascar and the eastern side of the channel were previously considered safer, though Madagascar has also experienced political upheaval and unrest, with a coup in November 2025.
\nThe yacht Acteon is understood to still be adrift. We\u2019ll report more when we have further information.
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\nThe post Mystery after two cruisers discovered dead aboard yacht in Indian Ocean appeared first on Yachting World.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Tragedy after French and Australian cruisers who were sailing from Reunion Island to Durban, South Africa, are discovered dead aboard their yacht in mysterious circumstances Two sailors have been discovered dead on their yacht, while sailing between Madagascar and Mozambique, … <\/p>\n