Thursday, August 1, 2013

APATHY FROM U.S. OFFICIALS PUT AT RISK THE LIVES OF SEVEN PEOPLE Page 27




APATHY  FROM  U.S.  OFFICIALS  PUT  AT  RISK  THE  LIVES  OF  SEVEN  PEOPLE
MISSING AT SEA ON FAMOUS AMERICAN YACHT NIÑA

Thursday, August 1st, 2013







INTRODUCTION:

We,
 as
 the
 family
 members
 of
 the
 crew
 on
 board
 the
 Niña,
 the
 famous
 American
 schooner
 that
 has 
gone 
missing
 in
 the
Tasman 
Sea 
in
 June,
are
 organizing 
a
 press conference,
in
order 
to
 make 
public 
our 
ordeal 
and 
struggles 
with 
receiving
any
 help
 from 
the 
U.S. 
authorities. 
It 
will 
be 
held 
today,
Thursday, 
August 
1st
 2013, 
at 
3:00 pm
 CST
(UTC‐5)
at
 NASA 
Hilton 
at 
Houston,
Texas.




We 
are 
shocked 
and 
saddened
 to 
be 
faced 
with 
a
 completely
 uncooperative 
behavior
 in 
this 
very 
urgent 
matter 
by 
the 
most 
respected 
institutions 
of
 this 
country ,
and
 we
 want
 to
appeal
 to 
all 
authorities 
and
 the 
American 
public
 for
 a
 fair 
and 
immediate
 action.












In 
the 
absence 
of 
prompt
 and
 effective 
action,
 seven 
lives
 will
 be 
sacrificed 
while 
it
 could
 have
 been
 prevented;
 and
 this
 would
 make
 the
 Niña
 case
 the
 worst
 non‐commercial
 maritime 
disaster
 in 
history 
with 
regard
 to 
the 
number 
of 
lives 
lost...






BACKGROUND:



The
 American
 schooner 
Niña,
 with 
its
 crew
 of
 six
 Americans
 and
 one
 Briton,
 was
 reported
 missing
 in
 the
 Tasman
 Sea
 on
 its
 route
 from
 Opua
 (New
 Zealand)
 to
 Newcastle 
(Australia).






Its
last
 known
 communication 
with 
land
 was
 on
 June
 4th,
which 
indicated
 stormy
 conditions.
 However,
 with
 the
 recovery
 of
 a
 non‐delivered
 text
 message
 sent through
 the
 satellite
 phone
 afterwards,
 it
 is
 revealed
 that
 they
 had
 survived
 the
 storm
 of
 the
 previous
 night,
 but
 sustained
 severe
 damage
 to
 their
 storm
 sails 
and
 were 
proceeding
 with 
'bare 
poles'
 on
 a
 stated 
course.
  




That
 last 
text 
message 
was 
only 
revealed 
a
 month 
after
 Niña's
 last
communication,
 due 
to
 strict
 U.S.
 privacy 
laws,
 and
 the 
critical
information
it
contains
has
basically
 changed
 the 
whole 
paradigm 
of
 what 
might 
have
happened,
 and 
how 
to 
best 
direct
 the
 search
 efforts.
 Since
 that
 last
 message
 was
 not
 delivered
 to
 the
 intended
 recipient, 
no
 one 
knew
 for 
weeks
 that
something 
was 
wrong
 with 
the 
Niña



RCCNZ Search Operations:

After
 the
 Niña
 failed
 to
 arrive
 in
 Australia
 in
 mid‐June as
 planned,
 a


'communication s
search'
 only 
was
 carried 
out 
by 
the
 RCCNZ
 (Rescue 
Coordination
 Center 
New 
Zealand) .
A 
full 
search 
and
 rescue
 operation 
was
 not 
started
 until 
June
 25th,
 three
 weeks
 after
 the
 communications
 breakdown,
 yet
 it
 was
 suspended
 twelve
 days 
later 
after 
failing 
to
 find
 anything.






No 
evidence
 of 
the 
vessel 
and
 crew,
 its
 life
raft,
 wreckage 
or
 flotsam,
 nor
 any
 other
 evidence
 that
 would
 indicate
 sinking
 was
 encountered.
 Sadly,
 most
 of
 the
 search
 was
 conducted 
using
‘drift 
modelling’
 based
 on
 a 
‘last 
known
position’
given 
by 
an
 Iridium
 satellite 
phone, 
which
 is
 now
 accepted 
to 
be 
inaccurate
‐‐
hundreds
 of 
miles
 away
 from
 the 
last
 known 
position 
given
 by
 text

 by 
one
 of
 the
 crew
 a renown Mathematics
 professor
 and
 author
 of
 user
 guides
 to
 computer
 operating
 systems,
 who 
was 
an 
experienced
 yacht
 owner 
and
 fanatical
 about
 navigation.
 This
 texted
 position,
 given
 to 
a
 renowned
 New 
Zealand
 meteorologist,
was
 initially 
discounted
 by
 New 
Zealand
 authorities 
as
 ‘inaccurate’
and
 only 
considered 
in
the 
last
 2
 days 
of
 the 
search.





When
 search 
was
 officially 
suspended 
by 
the 
New 
Zealand
authorities, 
it 
was
 ruled,
 without
 any 
evidence,
 that 
the
 Niña
 must 
have 
suffered
 a 
“catastrophic 
event” 
in
 the
 continuing 
strong 
storm,
and
 sunk 
immediately 
without 
being
 able 
to 
give
 a
 distress
 signal
 or
abandon 
ship.


After New Zealand Suspended the Search:

Upon
 this
 suspension,
 the
 five
 families
 that
 represent
 Niña's
 crew
 of
 seven
 individuals 
have
 partnered 
up 
with
Texas 
EquuSearch 
(TES),
 a 
non‐profit
 volunteer
 organization
 that
 specializes
 in
 finding
 missing
 persons
 on
 land
 and
 at
 sea.
 Since
 their
 operation
 relies
 on
 donations,
 the
 families 
and
 friends
 of
 the
 crew
 members
 have 
contributed
 what ever
 they
 could 
through 
donations.




TES's
 professional 
analysis 
of 
the 
case
 also 
indicated 
that 
the 
Niña 
probably 
had
 an
 electrical
 failure,
 lost
 its
 sails,
 as
 revealed
 in
 the
 non‐delivered
 text
 message,
 possibly
dismasted,
 but 
that 
it 
should
 be
intact 
and
 floating 
in
 the 
renowned 
circular
 currents 
of 
the 
Tasman
Sea, 
waiting
 for
 rescue.

An 
initial 
aerial 
search 
conducted
 by 
TES
 to 
eliminate 
the
 possibility
 that 
Niña 
was
 proceeding
 slowly
 to 
her 
original
destination 
under 
jury 
rigged 
sails,
 failed
 to
 find
 the
 boat
 or
 her
 crew.
 For
 any
 further
 searches
 professional
 float
 modeling
 was
 required
 in
 order
 to
 scientifically
 demonstrate
 the
 most
 likely
 areas
 in
 which
 the
 Niña
 will 
be
drifting.


U.S. Indifference and Failure to Cooperate:

Through out 
the 
search
 efforts,
the
 families
 and 
TES 
have 
been
trying 
to 
reach 
out 
to
 the
 U.S.
 authorities,
 as
 six
 of
 the
 seven
 crew
 members
 are
 American
 citizens,
 but
 have
 been
 faced
 with
 an
 unhelpful,
 negative,
 dismissive
 attitude
 each
 time
 they
 approached
 an
 institution
 whose
 resources
 or
 expertise
 would
 significantly
 assist
 the 
search 
efforts.

Not 
only
 the
 requests
 that 
involve
 funding
 or 
use 
of
 time
 and
 other 
resources,
 but
 also 
TES's 
request 
to 
use
 drift 
modeling 
software,
which
 is
 developed 
in 
the
 U.S. 
and
 available
 to
 the
 U.S.
Coast 
Guard,
was
 turned
 down
 with
 the 
explanation
 that 
New
 Zealand
 would 
not 
allow 
it.








At
 various
 times
 the
 state
 authorities,
 representatives,
 as
well
 as 
maritime
 search
 and
 rescue
 services
 have
 refused
 to 
provide
 rationale,
 and 
instead
 have
 chosen
 to
 not
 answer
 the
 questions
 they
 were
 asked,
 and
 at
 times,
 not
 even
 return
 communications
 on
 such
 an
 important
 issue
 that
 involves
 the
 lives
 of
 seven
 individuals.





WHAT WE WANT


‐
Cooperation
 from 
the 
U.S.
 Government,
 Coast
 Guard 
and
 Military,
as 
well
 as 
other
 state
 or
 national
 authorities
 that
 have
 the
 resources
 to
 aid
 in
 the
 search
 efforts.



Urgently, 
because 
seven 
lives 
with 
little
 resources
 on 
the 
cold
 seas
are
 very 
fragile.


‐
Public 
attention 
and
 support. 
Anyone 
could
 have
 been 
in 
our
situation, 
and
 in 
the future 
more 
citizens 
will 
be 
facing 
the 
same
indifference 
and
 uncooperative 
attitude
 unless 
we 
all
 raise
 our
 voices 
and 
do 
something 
now.




REASONING BEHIND OUR DEMANDS:


While 
there 
is 
absolutely 
no
 evidence 
that 
the 
Niña 
has 
faced 
a
'catastrophic
event'
 and
 sank,
 this
 has
 been
 accepted
 as
 the
 case
 by
 all
 U.S.
 authorities
 without
 any
 further 
inquiry
 or 
research.










Due 
to 
the 
scarcity 
of 
actual
 facts 
and 
data, 
it 
is 
impossible
to
calculate 
the
 odds 
of
 each 
possible 
scenario; 
however,
 an 
evidence‐free 
sudden
 sinking 
is 
just 
one 
of 
the
 many 
possible 
scenarios,
 most
of 
which 
involve 
survivors.



The default approach in the scarcity of known facts should not be assuming the worst case scenario and causing a self­ fulfilling prophecy.




USA 
is 
known 
world wide 
for 
the
 high
 value 
it 
assigns 
to 
human
lives
 and
 the
 lengths
 it 
goes 

to 
protect 
its 
citizens.
 So,
 it
 is
 a
 great
disappointment 
to
 hear
 that
 our
 very
 own
 congressmen,
 senators,
 and
 revered
 mission
 services
 such
 as
 the
 U.S.
 Coast 
Guard
 is
 endangering
 seven
 lives
 by
 refusing
 to
 cooperate
 with
 the
 search
 and
 rescue 
teams.


If
 authorities
 such 
as
 the 
USCG
 that 
are 
in
 charge
 of
 protecting 
and
 saving
 human
 lives
 at
 sea
 do
 not
 cooperate
 with
 the
 search
 teams
 when
 seven
 lives
 are
 at
 risk,
 then 
how 
are 
we
 supposed 
to 
trust
 them 
to
 save 
us 
if/when 
we 
are 
the 
ones
 in 
need
 of 
help?


MORE RESOURCES ON THIS STORY:

The 
Face book
 page 
Bringing 
Home 
the 
Niña 
and 
her
 Crew,
 co‐administered
 by 
close
 friends
 and
 some
 family
 members
 of
 several
 crew
 members
 is directed
 to
 continuing
 the
 search 
efforts, 
as 
well
 as 
in forming 
and
 engaging
 friends,
 relatives,
 and
 anyone
 following
 the
 mysterious
 case
 of
 the
 Niña:



Sailing 
Savoir
Faire,
 a
 blog 
on
 the
Niña 
case 
regularly 
updated
 by
Tim
Paynter, 
an
 activist
 for
 the
 Niña
 case,
 with
 verified
 and
 reliable
 information:



The
 S/V 
Niña
 Search 
Updates 
page 
by
TES 
that
 details 
the 
search
efforts,
 along
 with
 the
 roadblocks
 hit
 on
 the
 way
 and
 how
 they
 can
 be
 overcome: 
http://www.7‐1‐.com/TES/NINA/UPDATES




WHO WE ARE:

Cherie 
Martinez
‐‐
Twin 
sister 
of 
Niña's
 owner 
and 
skipper
 58‐year‐old 
David 
Dyche
 III 
from
Florida. 
Also 
representing 
two 
more
 crew
members,
 David's
 wife
 Rosemary
 (60)
 Dyche
 and
 their
 son
 David 
Dyche
IV
(17). 
Little 
David
 is 
now
18.

Robin 
and 
Ricky 
Wright
‐‐
Parents
 of
 19‐year‐old 
Danielle
Wright
from 
Louisiana 

Lazslo
 Nemeth
 and
 Libby
 Pratt
‐‐
 Son
 and
 niece
 of
 73‐year‐old
 Evi
 Nemeth
 from
 Colorado

Amy 
and 
Duane
 Jackson
‐‐
Parents 
of
 27‐year‐old 
Kyle
 Jackson
 from
 Nebraska Sue
 and
 Ian 
Wootton
‐‐
 Parents
 of
 35‐year‐old
 Matthew
 Wootton
 from
 London,
 United
Kingdom

Ralph 
Baird
‐‐
Senior
 Advisor
 for 
Texas 
Equusearch
 (TES),
 the
 non‐profit,
 volunteer
 search 
and 
rescue 
organization
 that
 specializes
 in
finding 
missing 
persons
 at 
sea
 or
 on 
land 
families.
  TES 
has 
been
continuing 
the 
search 
efforts 
after 
the 
official 
search
 operation
 was
suspended 
by
 New 
Zealand.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Sibel
Tinar
‐‐
sibeltinar@gmail.com;
(Skype:
sibeltinar)

Shelley
Rogers
‐‐
713‐530‐9574;
srogers014@comcast.net

Ralph
Baird
‐‐ 713‐366‐6445;
Ralph@Bairdusa.com
(Skype:
Ralph.baird)

Ricky
Wright
‐‐
337‐322‐6797;
rickywlsu@gmail.com
(Skype:
ricky.wright337)




*** URGENT NIÑA PRESS CONFERENCE NOTICE ***



Families of the seven (7) lives at stake and EquuSearch will host an eye-opening press conference at 3:00 PM local time CDT (GMT-5) at the NASA HILTON, Houston, TX on Thursday, August 1st 2013.


The event will show the need to continue the search that was suspended; all five families will be there. Failure of the U.S. Government will be explained in detail.




Postponed




WHEN AND WHERE?



Thursday,
August
1st
2013,
at
3:00pm
CST


at
Hilton
Houston
NASA
Clear
Lake



3000
Nasa
Pkwy,
Houston,
Texas


Tel:
1‐281‐333‐9300






http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/texas/hilton‐houston‐nasa‐clear‐lake‐


HOUNBHF/maps‐directions/index.htm



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1 comment:

  1. Any way you look at the US response the situation in NZ is that its an American flagged vessel carrying mainly American citizens and NZ is more interested in migration interdiction and drug interdiction than in SAR missions for foreigners. Yes, it appears an incorrect Last Known Position was used. Yes, it was improperly assumed that a severe event of some nature took place during the storm. The only updated data available does is provide indications of weakening electronic devices used in the storm filled voyage: SPOT beacon and Iridium satphone. These are handheld and subject to loss of charge as well difficulties during storm spray usage.Loss of the electronic devices does not mean the ship foundered, however failure of EPIRB activation does indicate inability to activate it, although it too can be lost overboard or can be stubbornly ignored. Any modeling would be of different scenarios taking place at different times. It may not be quite so callous a situation in Australia but the Aussies are more interested in intercepting migrants and drug runners than anything else.

    ReplyDelete

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