The remains of two people found inside a liferaft that washed ashore at a Canadian national park this month are believed to be a cruising couple who were attempting to sail from Nova Scotia to the Azores.
British-Canadians James Brett Clibbery and his wife Sarah Justine set off from Halifax on June 11 to sail to the Azores aboard their green-powered boat. More than a month later, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police was alerted that a 10-foot inflatable liferaft with human remains had washed ashore at Sable Island National Park Reserve.
While authorities could not positively identify the remains, the man’s son, James Clibbery, identified the couple. They had been reported missing on June 18. The son said in a post on Facebook, “The past few days have been very hard. With all the news, it is hard to remain hopeful.”
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said DNA tests will be carried out to confirm the identities. The couple called their cruise to the Azores “The Green Odyssey” to show they could cruise without burning fossil fuels. They were traveling on their 42-foot GibSea sailboat, which was powered by electricity and solar power.
The couple’s last post on social media was on June 11 and showed Mr. Clibbery wearing a bright orange jacket. At the helm, with the wind in his hair, Mr. Clibbery looked at the camera and said, “We’re sailing.”
