🇦🇺 AustraliaThe Kaz II
The Story
In April 2007, the Kaz II catamaran was found drifting near the Great Barrier Reef with engines running, a laptop open, and food on the table. Three experienced sailors—Des Batten, James Tunstead, and Peter Tunstead—were gone. Life jackets remained aboard. No distress signal was sent.
Images
Timeline
Kaz II departs Airlie Beach for a routine sailing trip.
A helicopter crew boards the drifting catamaran and finds it deserted.
The coroner concludes the men likely entered the water accidentally.
Known Evidence
How well-documented and physically verified the case evidence is.
- Australian Maritime Safety Authority rescue footage showing undisturbed domestic scene.
- Fishing line trailing overboard suggesting recent activity before abandonment.
- Weather reports indicating mild conditions inconsistent with capsize.
- No Mayday, EPIRB activation, or recovered bodies despite extensive search.
Unresolved
What We Still Don't Know
- Why three experienced sailors left a functioning vessel simultaneously.
- Whether they entered the water voluntarily or were pulled overboard.
- The role of a reported recent altercation among crew members.
Hypotheses
Theories
Ranked by plausibility — highest first.
Accidental Overboard While Fishing
One man fell overboard and the others entered the water to assist, none able to return.
Sudden Carbon Monoxide or Fume Event
Engine exhaust or gas accumulation caused disorientation, leading all three to abandon ship.
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