http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/10061...missing_family
Family of teen sailor jubilant on news she is safe
49 minutes ago
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The family of US teen sailor Abby Sunderland was "jubilant" on Friday after she was found safe on her damaged boat in the Indian Ocean during her solo round-the-world attempt.
"It is a huge relief, obviously," Laurence Sunderland told CNN after an Australian search plane spotted his 16-year-old daughter and her vessel.
He said the family was feeling "a great deal of jubilation and elation knowing that Abigail is safe."
The family has not been able to speak with the girl but said that rescue coordinators in Australia indicated that the pilot who spotted her reported that the boat was upright but that the rigging may have been damaged by waves.
"The severe weather conditions she was experiencing the day before this all happened have abated and we're confident that when the fishing vessel arrives ... it will be a successful rescue," Sunderland said.
"We are absolutely over the moon. We are very, very happy and excited that the Australian search and rescue jumped on this right away and got a plane after her."
Australia scrambled a chartered passenger jet from Perth early on Friday to scour seas some 3,700 kilometers (2,300 miles) away.
Authorities in Reunion Island, near Mauritius, off eastern Africa, said a patrol craft and a trade ship had also been diverted to Sunderland's location, as well as a fishing boat which is expected to reach her within 24 hours.
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