The parents of a 1-year-old girl who became “seriously ill” and had to be rescued from the family’s sailboat nearly 1,000 miles off the Mexico coast defended their decision to take to the high seas.
Eric and Charlotte Kaufman — whose daughter, Lyra, was pulled from the 36-foot sailboat during an elite rescue early Sunday — said the family was as prepared for their voyage around the world as any seasoned sailors.
“We understand there are those who question our decision to sail with our family, but please know that this is how our family has lived for seven years, and when we departed on this journey more than a year ago, we were then and remain today confident that we prepared as well as any sailing crew could,” the couple said in a statement from aboard the USS Vandegrift — which brought them back to San Diego.
“The ocean is one of the greatest forces of nature, and it always has the potential to overcome those who live on or near it,” the statement read. “We are proud of our choices and our preparation.”
The couple, along with Lyra and her 3-year-old sister, Cora, embarked on their trip across the Pacific Ocean in March, but the little girl developed a fever and a nasty rash on her body.
She wasn’t responding to any medications and after the boat — which was about 900 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico — lost steering and communication abilities, the family sent a satellite call for help to the U.S. Coast Guard on Thursday.
Four California Air National Guard members parachuted into the water, inflated a raft and helped take control of the stranded vessel, dubbed “Rebel Heart” — which authorities decided to sink because it was taking on water.
The National Guardsmen spent three nights with the family, until a Navy ship arrived to take the family back to California.
The ship was expected to dock in San Diego by midweek.
@129RQW via Twitter The 36-foot sailboat, ‘Rebel Heart,’ was sunk after the family was rescued on Sunday, because it was taking on water.
MSgt Cleve Burt/@129RQW via Twitter The California Air National Guardsmen reached the family by helicopter before four members parachuted into the water.
HANDOUT/Reuters A member of the California Air National Guard’s 129th Rescue Wing jumps off a military transport plane and into the ocean to reach the stranded ship on Sunday.
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The family thanked the rescue team for saving them, but was still saddened to lose their boat and home.
It was still not clear what illness little Lyra may have had.
The child had salmonella poisoning before the family set sail, but doctors found her healthy enough to go on the trip.
Charlotte Kaufman’s sister, Sariah Kay English, said she wasn’t so sure about the family going on the voyage at first.
“I thought it was nuts,” English recalled.
But she quickly learned how cautious the family had been, noting Eric Kaufman is a Coast Guard-licensed captain.
“They were not going into this blind,” English said. “I knew they were doing this wisely.”
With News Wire Services
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