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Australian coroner ends mystery of 'ghost ship'

When the yacht Kaz II was found off Australia's Great Barrier Reef , drifting and no one on board, there were many theories about what could have happened to its three middle-aged crew members.

There were suggestions the skipper, Des Batten, and brothers Peter and John Tunstead staged their own disappearance for insurance purposes or suffered at the hands of drug smugglers or pirates.

One of the wilder theories was that some kind of paranormal event had happened aboard their catamaran and inevitably, comparisons were made to the lost crew of another "ghost" ship, the Mary Celeste.

But yesterday a coroner in Townsville, Queensland, ended the speculation that has been buzzing around the bars of Australian yachting clubs for months by ruling that the three friends drowned in a freak accident during what was supposed to have been a trip of a lifetime, even though their bodies have never been found.

The trio, described as "typical Aussie blokes", vanished after setting sail on April 15 last year on a planned two-month trip, bound for Western Australia where they all lived. Three days later, the white-painted vessel which Mr Batten had only recently bought for £60,000 was found adrift and with a ripped sail about 100 miles north-east of Townsville, near the Whitsunday islands.

The engine was idling, a half-empty cup of coffee and a laptop computer were sitting on a table, a newspaper was lying open with some pages strewn on the floor and clothing had been piled on a bench.

The men went to sea with a large supply of food, three cases of beer, a .44 calibre rifle and 100 rounds of ammunition, the inquest was told.

Coroner Michael Barnes said evidence put before him during a four day inquest led him to conclude that "an unfortunate series of events," befell the trio, who were all relatively inexperienced sailors, only a few hours after they set sail.

In the scenario he laid out, the coroner said one of the brothers attempted to free a fishing line that had become wrapped around the yacht's propeller when he fell overboard. The other brother fell in while trying to rescue him.

Mr Batten tried to drop the sails so he could turn around and go back for his two friends but a change in the wind's direction caused the yacht's boom to swing and knock him overboard.

"Once the three men were in the water there was very little chance they could get back on the boat," he said. "It would be beyond their reach in seconds. From that point, the end would have been swift.

"None of them was a good swimmer, the seas were choppy, they would have quickly become exhausted and sunk beneath the waves. Although I can't exclude the possibility of a shark attacking them, drowning is a far more likely cause of death."

Rescue officer Corrie Benson told the inquest earlier this week that he found an "eerie" scene when he was winched down from a helicopter to search the stricken vessel.

He saw the discarded coffee cup and newspapers and found knives strewn on the floor. "My biggest fear was being attacked by somebody who did not want me on the boat. I was 160km out to sea with no back-up," he told the court earlier this week.

"I didn't know if someone was going to burst through a cupboard and go at me with a knife. I saw all the knives on the ground, but no blood, and thought 'what the ... ?'"

Graeme Douglas, the boat's previous owner, also gave evidence saying he had warned the men not to leave the Whitsunday area because they did not seem to have enough experience. The 56-year-old skipper, he said, was the only one of the trio who had sailed a large vessel before while the Tunstead brothers, aged 69 and 63, had minimal boating experience.

Mr Douglas said the men appeared nervous about the trip but anxious to get under way, since their original start date had been postponed because of bad weather and the fact that they had trouble understanding the vessel's global positioning system. "I said if you're not ready, don't go," he said.

A video, shot the morning the men headed out to sea, was also shown to the court. Mr Batten, a semi-retired carpet layer was holding the camera and Jim Tunstead can be seen fishing while he and Mr Batten are heard mocking Peter Tunstead, a non-swimmer, who was sitting fishing at the back with the safety rail down. He was not wearing a lifejacket. In the film, the men talk about "threatening skies" ahead.

The coroner said there was no evidence of any third party involvement in the disappearance of the sailors and noted that there had been no suspicious transactions in their finances.

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Unraveling the Mystery of the Kaz II: The Vanishing Crew of a Ghost Ship

• Author: Admin
• November 12, 2023

Table of Contents

The discovery of the ghost ship, the investigation: clues and theories, coronial inquest and findings, the impact on maritime safety, the legacy of the kaz ii.

In April 2007, the Kaz II, a seemingly ordinary catamaran, set sail from Airlie Beach, Australia, manned by a three-person crew: skipper Derek Batten, and brothers Peter and James Tunstead. Their plan was a leisurely journey to Townsville and Cairns, but what unfolded turned the Kaz II into one of the most baffling maritime mysteries of the 21st century.

On April 20, 2007, the Kaz II was spotted adrift in the Coral Sea, near the Great Barrier Reef. The Coast Guard's approach revealed a scene that would perplex investigators: the yacht was in perfect condition with its engine still running. A laptop was found powered on, a table was set with food and utensils, and personal belongings were undisturbed. Strikingly, there was no sign of the crew.

The initial investigation ruled out foul play; there were no signs of a struggle or outside interference. The weather reports indicated mild conditions, and the boat was well-maintained, discounting a major accident. This led to various theories:

• Man Overboard Incident : One speculation is that one crew member fell overboard while trying to free a tangled fishing line or a sail. The others, attempting a rescue, might have also ended up in the water, leading to a tragic chain of events.
• The Rogue Wave Theory : Some suggest a sudden, powerful rogue wave could have swept the men overboard. However, the lack of disarray on the boat makes this unlikely.
• Murder-Suicide Pact or Foul Play : While the investigation didn't indicate foul play, some theorized a darker turn of events given the complete absence of bodies or distress signals.
• Planned Disappearance : Another theory posits that the men staged their disappearance, though their families strongly refuted this, citing their strong ties to home.
• Maritime Phenomenon or Pirate Activity : The Coral Sea, known for its unpredictable nature, may hold natural explanations, though none have been substantiated. Likewise, there was no evidence of piracy.

In 2008, a coronial inquest was held to determine the fate of the crew. The coroner, Michael Barnes, concluded that the men had likely fallen overboard in calm seas. He suggested that one crew member might have been trying to free a tangled line and accidentally fell overboard, with the others losing their lives in a failed rescue attempt. However, this conclusion, while plausible, remains unproven and speculative.

The Kaz II incident prompted discussions on maritime safety, particularly focusing on the importance of personal locator beacons and the risks of man-overboard situations. It highlighted the need for rigorous safety protocols, even in seemingly calm sea conditions.

The Kaz II has since become a symbol of the sea's unpredictability and the mysteries it harbors. Documentaries, books, and articles continue to analyze this incident, drawing parallels with other maritime mysteries like the Mary Celeste. The lack of definitive answers has left the door open to endless speculation and has cemented the Kaz II's place in the annals of nautical lore.

The Kaz II's story remains a haunting reminder of the sea's enigmatic nature. Despite modern technology and advanced maritime practices, the ocean still holds secrets and mysteries that sometimes defy explanation. The disappearance of the Kaz II's crew is a poignant testament to this, leaving a lingering question that may never be fully answered: what really happened aboard the Kaz II?

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The Kaz II ghost yacht mystery

Revised December 2023

A white catamaran was found drifting 88 nautical miles (163 km) off the northeastern coast of Australia on April 20, 2007, and like the famous story of the Mary Celeste, the crew of the Kaz II had mysteriously vanished without a trace. This started an enduring mystery, the “Ghost Ship of Australia”.

Search and rescue found the boat "eerie" on entering it. An inquest blamed misadventure and bad luck by the crew, but what happened is a question that will never be fully answered as many years later, the crew’s bodies remain missing in the Coral Sea.

The Ghost Ship Mary Celeste and the Eilean Mòr lighthouse disappearances

Marie Celeste is the classic story of the “ghost ship”. It was an American merchant brigantine discovered adrift and deserted in the Atlantic Ocean off the Azores Islands on December 4, 1872. She was found in a disheveled but seaworthy condition, under partial sail and missing her lifeboat. The last entry in her log was dated ten days earlier. She had left New York City for Genoa on November 7, and the cargo of denatured alcohol was intact, and personal belongings were undisturbed. None of those on board were ever seen or heard from again.

On the 26th of December 1900, a small ship called Hesperus, captained by James Harvie, was making its way to the island of Eilean Mòr, part of the Flannan Islands in the remote Outer Hebrides, off the north-west coast of Scotland. The island is one of seven islets known to locals as the Seven Hunters, around 17 miles west of the Isle of Lewis.

Eilean Mòr’s only inhabitants at the time were the lighthouse keepers stationed at the Flannan Isles Lighthouse, near the highest point on the island. The lighthouse was manned and operated by three men: Principal Keeper James Ducat, 43, Thomas Marshall, 40, and Donald William McArthur, 28. McArthur was an Occasional Keeper on duty in place of a regular member of staff, William Ross, who was on sick leave.

That visit by Captain Harvie’s ship was to be the start of one of the most enduring and mysterious disappearance mysteries in Scottish history.

Read the Eilean Mòr mystery here: The Strange Disappearance of the Eilean Mor Lighthouse Keepers .

Start of the The Kaz II voyage from Airlie Beach

The Kaz II crew consisted of Captain Derek “Des” Charles Batten, 56, James Alfred Tunstead, 69, and Peter John Tunstead, 63. All three retired men lived in Perth, Western Australia.

They cast off from Airlie Beach in Queensland, Australia, on Sunday, 15 April 2007, and were heading for Townsville on their way to Perth. It was an 8-week voyage. Townsville is around 168 miles (270 km) North of Airlie, and the Great Barrier Reef lies off its coast. They had previously left Shute Harbour just to the east and ended up at Airlie because they had a GPS issue.

James Tunstead, Des Batten and Peter Tunstead

Batten bought the Kaz II in 2006 for $US80,000 and sailed it a couple of times after going on a sailing course. Before the latest voyage, he took coastal navigation, radio, and first aid courses. The Tunsteads were not nautical novices either since they sailed together from when they were 18 years old and even worked in the radio rooms of the Volunteer Sea Rescue, but they were inexperienced on larger vessels.

The last known contact of the family members with any of the crew was made one-and-a-half hours after it left port when one crew member was contacted by his wife.

Graeme Douglas, the boat's previous owner, had warned the men not to leave the Whitsunday area because they did not have enough experience. He said the men appeared nervous about the trip but anxious to get underway since their original start date had been postponed because of bad weather and the fact that they had trouble understanding the vessel's global positioning system. "I said if you're not ready, don't go.”

The start of the mystery

The first indication of a problem came on Wednesday, 18 April 2007, when a helicopter was reportedly spotted Kaz II adrift near the Great Barrier Reef.

On April 20, maritime authorities caught up with the boat and boarded it. Strangely, no one was on board the vessel. Jon Hall, Queensland's Emergency Management Office (QEMO), said, "What they found was a bit strange in that everything was normal; there was just no sign of the crew."

The QEMO revealed that the boat was in serviceable condition and was laid out as if the crew were still on board. Food and cutlery were set out on the table, a laptop computer was set up and turned on, and the engine was still running. Officials also confirmed that the boat's emergency systems, including its radio and GPS, were fully functional and still had its full complement of life jackets. There was also a small boat still hoisted on the stern of the boat, and the anchor was up.

The only signs that were out of the ordinary, other than the crew's disappearance, were that the main sail had been badly shredded and that there was no life raft on board (it is unknown whether there ever was one aboard).

Rescue officer Corrie Benson said that he found an "eerie" scene when he was winched down from a helicopter to search the stricken vessel.

He saw the discarded coffee cup and newspapers and found knives strewn on the floor. "My biggest fear was being attacked by somebody who did not want me on the boat. I was 160km out to sea with no backup. I didn't know if someone was going to burst through a cupboard and go at me with a knife. I saw all the knives on the ground, but no blood, and thought, 'what the ... ?'"

The Search for the Kaz II Crew

Search and rescue efforts began on April 18, with boats and a Navy aircraft with infrared capability looking near the locations identified in the video and data from the GPS system. At the same time, Bowen Voluntary Marine Rescue launched a coastal and island search.

The next day, a full-scale search-and-rescue effort was launched involving Volunteer Rescue Units from several towns and the Townville's coast guard, two rescue helicopters, nine airplanes, and two commercial vessels.

Dr. Paul Luckin, a survival-time expert, was consulted. He concluded that it was unlikely that the men were still alive if they were still in the water, as they had probably gone overboard three to four days earlier. The teams still had hope that the men could have reached land and continued searching until 4 pm on April 21, when the air and sea search was called off.

Another coastline search was launched on Monday, April 23, after some new information had come in, but the search proved fruitless and was called off on 25 April.

Investigations into the Kaz II mystery

On Friday, April 20, Kaz II was towed into Townsville port for forensic examination and on the next day, Sergeant Bardell and Sergeant Molloy of the Queensland Police searched the ship for signs of foul play. No evidence for this was found, and they discovered that the cabin was neat and tidy apart from some magazines, a newspaper, and a wine cask lying on the floor. It was later determined that these items ended up on the floor while the ship was being towed to shore. In the sink were a few butter knives, and a plastic sheath of fishing knives was found on a bench in the galley. They did not appear to have been used recently.

Under Des Batten's bed, in a sealed container, the investigators found a firearm and some ammunition, none of which was used. In a drawer, they found an additional single bullet of the same caliber.

After analyzing data from the catamaran’s GPS system, police deduced that it had been steered northeast into an area where rough seas were building on the day of departure. Later in the afternoon, the GPS data showed it to be adrift.

The investigators also recovered a video recording filmed by James Tunstead on 15 April at 10.05 am, shortly before the men disappeared, showing that:

Des Batten was at the helm with the vessel under sail

The sea was choppy, and no men wore life jackets.

Peter Tunstead was fishing on the aft stairway of the boat

A long white rope can be seen trailing behind the boat.

The film showed the coastline in the area, and this helped investigators pinpoint the exact location of the ship. It was taken between Gumbrell Island, Grassy Island, and Armit Island.

Inquest into the Kaz II incident

Between August 4 and 7, 2008, an inquest into the men's disappearance began in the Townsville Coroner's Court led by Queensland state coroner Michael Barnes. In total, twenty-seven witnesses were called to testify, and 107 pieces of evidence were submitted.

Jennifer Batten testified that her husband Des was an experienced and careful yachtsman, had been around boats for 25 years, and was acutely aware of the need for safety. He had earned his recreational skipper's ticket and a qualification in marine radio. Every summer, they travelled together to Rottnest Island on various motorboats, although Kaz II was their first sailboat. After they bought it, the couple took a six-week sailing course and then sailed Kaz II around the Whitsundays twice. Apart from a minor problem with a propeller, the trips were without issues.

Batten's wife also stated that the original plan was to sail Kaz II to Fremantle as a couple but that Batten was worried that just two people aboard might not be safe. He decided to take his neighbours, brothers Peter and James Tunstead, with him instead. The trip was planned over several months and discussed daily as they plotted routes with the help of a computer. "They allowed themselves six to eight weeks to get back to Fremantle, but because Des and Peter were retired, it didn't matter how long they took … They didn't want to sail at night for safety [reasons]", Jennifer Batten said, and they planned to stay reasonably close to the shore. Although Batten was taking medications for high cholesterol, mild diabetes, and had suffered a heart attack at age 50, she believed that he was well enough and fit for the journey.

Also heard was Graeme Douglas, the previous owner of Kaz II, who had sold the boat to Batten. He stated the boat was in good condition when it was sold and that he had met the men the night before they set sail. He also helped the men plan part of their route and was surprised to see that, according to the police, the men had deviated from their planned route programmed in their GPS.

Gavin Howland, the skipper of a commercial fishing vessel called the Jillian, testified that on 16 April 2007, while fishing on a reef off Bowen, he and his crew saw a white yacht with a torn sail drifting sideways between the reefs through a narrow passage, at up to 3 km (5.6 km/h), in a north-northeastern direction along with the current. He came within 50 metres of the boat but could not spot anyone on board. This was two days before the coast guard spotted Kaz II adrift off the coast of Townsville and the day after authorities believe the men went missing. Howland found it odd that a sailboat was in an area noted for its shallow water and rocks. He did not attempt to contact the boat or the authorities. Howland told the inquest that it did not occur to him that the yacht crew might be in distress and said: "It did seem a bit strange to me, but I just have this rule that no one goes near another vessel".

Sergeant Paul Molloy, one of the three forensic police officers who examined Kaz II after she was towed back to shore in April 2007, told the inquest that he did not believe the men had met with foul play. He spent several hours combing the ship for signs of a struggle but found no evidence that anyone besides the three-man crew of the vessel had been aboard. "We came to the conclusion the boat itself was not a crime scene," he told the inquest. After questions by Peter Tunstead's widow, Frances, about why the police did not check for fingerprints, Sgt. Molloy said his years of experience told him it was not necessary. "We were there for a long time; we pulled the boat apart and found nothing untoward... If there was any indication [of foul play], we would have taken every measure we could to examine that boat.”

Conclusions of the Inquest

State coroner Barnes admits in his official report that he "cannot be so definitive about the circumstances under which the deaths occurred."

However, based on the eyewitness accounts, the video found on board, and the state of the yacht in which it was found, the report proposed the following scenario:

"On Sunday, 15 April 2007, at 10:05 A.M., the Kaz II was sailing in the vicinity of George Point. Up to that moment, everything was going as planned but, in the following hour, their situation changed dramatically. The men hauled in the white rope that was trailing behind the boat and bundled it up on the foredeck, possibly to dry, next to the locker it was normally kept in. For unknown reasons, James Tunstead then took off his T-shirt and glasses and placed them on the backseat. The report says that since the men's fishing lure was found entangled in the ship's port side rudder, an obvious explanation would be that one of them tried to free the lure and fell overboard while doing so. Standing on the boat's 'sugar scoop' platform (a platform at the back of the ship close to the waterline) while the boat is moving is perilous and falling in the water is easy, but getting back aboard is almost impossible. One of the other men then came to the rescue of his brother, while Batten, still on board, started the motor and realized he had to drop the sails before he could go back for his friends.

As he left the helm to drop the sails, a deviation of the ship's course or wind direction could have easily caused a jibe, swinging the boom across the deck and knocking Batten overboard. This could even have happened before Batten was able to untie and throw out the life ring to his friends. A blue coffee mug found near the life ring may support this. Since the boat was travelling before wind and at a speed of 15 km (28 km/h), it would be out of reach of the men within seconds. The report states: "From that point, the end would have been swift. None of them were good swimmers, the seas were choppy; the men would have quickly become exhausted and sunk beneath the waves."

The report ruled out foul play and staged disappearance.

Other explanations for the disappearance of the Kaz II crew

According to authorities in Townsville, the weather had been windy, and the sea had been rough between the time that Kaz II departed and was found drifting. This led authorities to speculate that the crew may have experienced sudden difficulty during rough weather and gone overboard.

However, one issue with this theory is that the contents of the cabin, including a table, did not seem to have been disrupted in any way. Relatives of the missing men say that the boat's condition makes this unlikely and point to discrepancies such as the fact that the men's fishing lines and laundry were set out and that their life jackets were still stowed, which indicated that they were not experiencing rough weather at the time of their disappearance.

Also noted was that Kaz II was found with its fenders out, leading to speculation that the boat may have docked with another as-yet-unknown vessel to which the crew might have willingly or unwillingly transferred.

Hope Himing, niece of boat owner Des Batten:" The fenders were out on their yacht, and the only reason you ever put them out is when another boat comes aside or if you come to rest against a wharf."

But Townsville police said that small craft commonly left their fenders out at all times, making it impossible to draw any definitive conclusions.

Volunteer radio operator Ivan Ormes recorded that Kaz II radioed in at 6.45 pm on April 15, giving its position as George Point. This is the last known contact with Kaz II. It should have taken them a short time to reach George Point, and it is unclear what took them so long to arrive there. One explanation is that they were fishing the whole day, but maybe they had problems with their GPS since they had already tried to set off on April 14 but were forced to return because of the non-functional GPS. That incident was because of an easily fixed user error, so Kaz II set off early the next day.

Lodged on sandbar

Perhaps the catamaran became stuck on a sandbar near George Point, where the boat's last radio message was made. When the men jumped overboard to push it free, a gust of wind blew, and the boat drifted away, leaving them stranded. This would explain why towels were left out on the deck.

A freak wave may have washed over one crew member; the others were lost trying to rescue him. But why the shredded sail?

Other theories

There were suggestions that the men staged their disappearance for insurance purposes.

One of the wilder theories was that a paranormal event had happened aboard their catamaran, or a whale or giant squid had attacked it. Or even that they had been abducted by extraterrestrials or gone through a wormhole.

Unanswered Questions on the Kaz II mystery

Why was the jib sail shredded?

The triangular sail called the jib, one of the so-called headsails on a modern boat, was shredded entirely when the catamaran was discovered. What happened to it? The coroner’s report mentions, “As he left the helm to drop the sails, a deviation of the ship's course or wind direction could have easily caused a jibe, swinging the boom across the deck and knocking Batten overboard”. However, such a jibe would not have caused the damage to the jib that was found.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaz_II

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Celeste

http://www.theparanormalguide.com/uploads/1/7/3/8/17382059/4524066.jpg?361

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1042910/Mystery-solved-Mary-Celeste-yacht-crew-disappeared-leaving-engine-running.html

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/aug/09/australia

https://funfactz.com/weird-facts/australia-unmanned-yacht/

https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/ao21an/the_kaz_ii_mystery_three_men_went_missing/

Inquest documents 

Further viewing

BrainScratch: The Ghost Yacht - The Tragedy of Kaz II

Vanished: Was the crew of the Kaz II abducted?

• In Headline , Macabre , Paranormal , UFOs
• September 24, 2011
• 17 comments

The sea. Man’s nightmares and curiosities lie within its seemingly eternal abyss. Countless tales and explorations revolve around its mystery. None can capture the great vastness that inhabits the world’s oceans. It leaves the curious to wonder: “ What monstrous beasts lurk through the depths of the abyss? ”

  The sea was a bit choppy that afternoon on April 20, 2007. But that didn’t pose a problem for the experienced three-man crew of the Kaz II . Derek Batten was a fifty-six year old yachtsman with 25 years of nautical experience. He had meticulously planned out the route in which his yacht, the Kaz II , was supposed to navigate. He had invited with him his neighbors. Sixty-nine year old Peter Tunstead and his sixty-three year old brother, James. They too were no strangers to the sea. They had been sailing together since teenagers and were very savvy when it came to boat navigation and safety. The brothers also volunteered in the radio rooms of the Volunteer Sea Rescue unit. Suffice to say the Kaz II was no ship of fools.

During the forensic investigation, a video tape surfaced. Recorded on it, were the last moments of the three friends.

The last moments of the men were recorded by James on the morning of April 15th. Which is said to be shortly before their vanishing. The video shows Derek commandeering the vessel. Peter is seen fishing off the Kaz II in a very relaxing manner. From the video, the investigators noted that the engines were not running and that a long rope was trailing behind the boat. Another interesting fact is that James’ sunglasses and shirt are not seen in the location where they were found.

With this information, the investigators were able to understand the approximate location the men were in when they ran into trouble. The coroner ruled out foul play, but was not able to determine what actually happened to the bodies. Piecing together a possible scenario using the video tape, this is what State Coroner Michael Barnes believed happened to those aboard the Kaz II :

“On Sunday, 15 April 2007, at 10:05 A.M., the Kaz II was sailing in the vicinity of George Point. Up to that moment everything was going as planned but, in the following hour, their situation changed dramatically. The men hauled in the white rope that was trailing behind the boat and bundled it up on the foredeck, possibly to dry, next to the locker it was normally kept in. For unknown reasons, James Tunstead then took off his T-shirt and glasses and placed them on the backseat. The report says that since the men’s fishing lure was found entangled in the ship’s port side rudder, an obvious explanation would be that one of them tried to free the lure and fell overboard while doing so. Standing on the boat’s ‘sugar scoop’ platform (a platform at the back of the ship close to the waterline) while the boat is moving is perilous and falling in the water is easy, but getting back aboard almost impossible. One of the other men then came to the rescue of his friend, while Batten, still on board, started the motor and realized he had to drop the sails before he could go back for his friends. As he left the helm to drop the sails, a deviation of the ship’s course or wind direction could have easily caused a jibe, swinging the boom across the deck and knocking Batten overboard. This could even have happened before Batten was able to untie and throw out the life ring to his friends. A blue coffee mug found near the life ring may support this. Since the boat was travelling before wind and at a speed of 15 kn (28 km/h), it would be out of reach of the men within seconds. The report states: “From that point, the end would have been swift. None of them was a good swimmer, the seas were choppy; the men would have quickly become exhausted and sunk beneath the waves. –source: Wikipedia “

The coroner’s conclusion seems like the most possible scenario. Possible…but it leaves a lot of doubt as well.

What are the chances that three experienced and cautious seamen fall out of a boat trying to save one another? I can understand the brothers falling overboard in an attempt to rescue one another, but why did the Derek, the man at the helm leave the engines on while he himself succumbing to the merciless sea in the last attempt to rescue his friends? How does that explain the torn sail? Could it have been that one of the brothers was climbing to fix the top of the sail and fell overboard, causing the other two to fall in as well in unsuccessful attempts at rescue? Maybe. But then I’d have to ask you: “ What tore a gash across the sail? “

If you were to ask me, the other-worldly thinker, I’d say that there exists a speck of a chance that this could have been caused by a UFO. Seriously. Hear me out:

What if the men were visited by a UFO, or better yet, a USO –Unidentified Submerged Objects, to the non-geeks– could that possibly explain the men being caught off-guard by the alien craft that glided its way from the abyss? Hovering above their yacht, the craft’s exhaust or radiating force causes the sail to blow open. But what about the men? Abducted. Naw, that’s too wild of a conclusion. Isn’t it?

The fate of the men will never been known. What interrupted the person sitting down to eat a warm meal on the boat’s table is the macabre mystery of the Kaz II . Looking as a place where time stood still, the yacht leaves us with the impression that they men met a scientifically impossible fate. The crew of the Kaz II seem to have completely vanished from this world.

ADMINISTRATOR

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The Mystery of The Jenny and Kaz II

Posted on October 7, 2020

The Mystery of The Jenny and Kaz II  

Below are two tales of sailing gone wrong – tragic stories of lives ended, one suddenly, another over the course of months. Ghost ships of days of old and new, read on to discover just what destruction and mystery our oceans are capable of.  

The Jenny – A Frozen Fate  

‘The Jenny’ was a schooner boat, which is a vessel with two or more masts, otherwise known as a “tall ship.” Although you may not have heard of her, Jenny and her fate have created a truly mysterious legend. In the Drake Passage, which is a body of water between Chile and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica, The Jenny was found frozen inside of an ice barrier. Discovered in 1840, it had been almost twenty years since it first disappeared in 1823.  

One of the most haunting aspects of The Jenny’s story was the last entry in a logbook which read, “May 4 th , 1823. No food for 71 days. I am the only one left alive.” It was later confirmed that The Jenny’s captain had written the message. When The Jenny was discovered by a whaling boat named Hope, ironically, the captain was found still sitting in his chair, with his pen frozen in hand.  

An article in the German Geographical magazine, Globus, states that the crew of the Hope believed that The Jenny was caught in an ice wall and remained there, hidden in mystery until the ice broke open. The article also stated that “The crew of the Hope sighted a battered ship before they realized that it was a ghost ship. Although it was battered, it appeared to be manned… in fact, seven men were even standing at attention on the main deck.” As the Hope slowly approached The Jenny, however, it became obvious that these men were not watching dutifully, but frozen solid at their posts.  

First Man to Board  

Captain Brighton, of the Hope, was the first to board and investigate The Jenny. He came across each crew member, frozen in time. Once he made it below deck, he came across The Jenny’s captain, eerily frozen, writing his final journal entry.   

Some reports do state that the crew and captain of the Hope buried all deceased at sea, including the captain’s dog and wife. Other reports state that they left them as they were, unwilling to disturb the bodies. Whatever the case, one can imagine the terror and sadness that engulfed the crew of The Jenny, as they realized they would never be going home, but instead, their fate was with the icy Antarctic sea.   

Jenny And Kaz II: A Recent Tragedy – Kaz II  

Kaz II, or ‘The Ghost Yacht’ as it has been called, was a 9.8-meter catamaran which was found drifting just over 100 miles off the North-Eastern coast of Australia on the 20 th of April, 2007. The Kaz II had a three-man crew, all of whom were residents of Perth, Australia: Derek Batten, and brothers James and Peter Dunstead .   

According to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, Kaz II departed from Arlie Beach on April 15 th , 2007. They were headed towards Queensland, on the first leg of a journey that would take them around the Western Coast of the continent. The first indication of an issue was when a helicopter spotted Kaz II drifting in the Great Barrier Reef on April 20 th . The helicopter pilot assumed that the crew may be in distress and in need of assistance, so in turn, he sent out a signal to maritime authorities.    When authorities finally caught up with the boat and boarded, they found all three men missing under circumstances they described as being “strange.”  

“What they found was a bit strange in that everything was normal; there was just no sign of the crew.” –Jon Hall, Queensland’s Emergency Management Office  

Officials released a statement that day, revealing that the boat wasn’t damaged or out of service, and the lower deck was laid out as if the crew were still on board. There was a laptop computer set up and turned on, plates and silverware were set on the table, and the boat’s engine was even still running. Authorities had checked and confirmed that the Kaz II’s emergency systems were in working order, and even the lifejacket stock remained on board. A videotape was also recovered, showing the men’s final moments on board. It was a home-movie style tape of the men enjoying their day on the open ocean. Peter Tunstead was seen fishing, Derek Batten was at the helm, and James Dunstead was taping, panning the camera to give a 360-degree view of the waters. Everything seemed peaceful and copacetic, a mystery indeed.

Into Thin Air – Where Did The Jenny And Kaz II Go?  

Searches started on the 18 th of April, and after many fruitless hours, were eventually called off completely on April 25 th . There was no sign of the three men anywhere in the ocean. The disappearance was strange as Batte n’s wife recalled how thorough her husband was with safety, and the need for planning. The boat was even investigated for signs of foul play, but again, nothing out of the ordinary was found. It’s almost as if the men disappeared mysteriously into thin air.   

The Coroner’s Report – A Final Explanation for the Jenny and Kaz II?  

The state coroner admitted in his official report that “he cannot be so definitive about the circumstances in which the deaths occurred…” However, based on eyewitness accounts, the video found on board, and the state of the yacht in which it was found, his report proposes the following scenario as an explanation – “On Sunday, 15 April 2007, at 10:05 A.M., the Kaz II was sailing near George Point. Up to that moment, everything was going as planned but, in the following hour, their situation changed dramatically. The men hauled in the white rope that was trailing behind the boat and bundled it up on the foredeck, possibly to dry, next to the locker it was normally kept in. For unknown reasons, James Tunstead then took off his T-shirt and glasses and placed them on the backseat. The report says that since the men’s fishing lure was found entangled in the ship’s port side rudder, an obvious explanation would be that one of them tried to free the lure and fell overboard while doing so. Standing on the boat’s ‘sugar scoop’ platform (a platform at the back of the ship close to the waterline) while the boat is moving is perilous and falling in the water is easy, but getting back aboard is almost impossible. One of the other men then came to the rescue of his brother, while Batten, still on board, started the motor and realized he had to drop the sails before he could go back for his friends. As he left the helm to drop the sails, a deviation of the ship’s course or wind direction could have easily caused a jibe, swinging the boom across the deck and knocking Batten overboard. This could even have happened before Batten was able to untie and throw out the life ring to his friends. A blue coffee mug found near the life ring may support this. Since the boat was traveling before the wind and at a speed of 15 knots, or 17 mph, it would be out of reach of the men within seconds. The report then states: “From that point, the end would have been swift. None of them were good swimmers, the seas were choppy; the men would have quickly become exhausted and sunk beneath the waves.”  

A Merciless Ocean  

Even the most seasoned sailors can become victim to the relentless ocean. These two stories tell of random happenstance and the love of sailing gone awry; they are a reminder that the ocean is not a toy to be played with. Some would say that the ocean is just a large graveyard, and with its natural mystery, the ghosts of those who passed there never leave.   For a head start on our ghostly and nautical series, we invite you to visit Spirits and Ghosts of the High Seas .

SOURCES CITED:  

https://weburbanist.com/2010/06/14/real-ghost-ships-10-mysterious-abandoned-sea-vessels/  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaz_II  

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The Queensland Emergency Management Office revealed that the boat was in serviceable condition and was laid out as if the crew were still on board. Food and flatware were set out on the table, a laptop computer was set up and turned on, and the engine was still running. Officials also confirmed that the boat’s emergency systems, including its radio and GPS, were fully functional, and that it still had its full complement of life jackets.There was even a small boat still hoisted on the stern of the boat, and the anchor was up. The only signs that were out of the ordinary, other than the disappearance of the crew, was one of the boat’s sails had been badly shredded, and that there was no life raft on board (it is unknown whether there ever was one aboard).

Search and rescue efforts began on Wednesday, 18 April, and Australian search and rescue AusSAR sent a Navy aircraft to search in the vicinity of the vessel in an effort to locate the missing men. At the same time, Bowen Voluntary Marine Rescue launched a coastal and island search. At night, an aircraft with infrared capability was used to search the reefs and cays. The next day, a full scale search-and-rescue effort was launched involving Volunteer Rescue Units from several towns as well as the Townville’s coast guard, two rescue helicopters, nine airplanes, and two commercial vessels. Data from Kaz II’s GPS system was also retrieved and analyzed in order to help narrow the search area.

Graeme Douglas, the previous owner of Kaz II, who had sold the boat to Batten stated the boat was in good condition when it was sold and that he had met the men on the night before they set sail. He also helped the men plan part of their route and was surprised to see that, according to the police, the men had deviated from their planned route that was programmed in their GPS system.

A less convincing theory was speculated about Alien abductions, which would explain the boat still being in tact, no signs of distress or struggle or damage, except the shredded sails which can be explained by being abandoned and adrift at sea.

I leave it up to you reader…What do you think?

Reporter: Yalene Hansen Images: Yalene Hansen

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Missing ghost ship crew may have had a knife fight, says family

THREE sailors who vanished off the ghost ship Kaz II may have been involved in a "scuffle" before they disappeared.

Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News.

On the first day of an inquest into the mystery which occured off the north Queensland coast, grieving family yesterday asked the state coroner to investigate the possibility of an onboard knife fight. Other explanations for the mystery included the possibility they were all knocked overboard by a swinging boom or that they ran aground on a sand bank. State Coroner Michael Barnes yesterday opened a five-day inquest in Townsville into the disappearance of skipper Derek "Des" Batten, 56, and brothers, Peter and Jim Tunstead, 69 and 63 respectively in April last year. In an emotion-charged scene, the grieving wives of the three missing men hugged and sobbed openly as they visited the back deck of the 10.6m Osprey sailing catamaran berthed in a dry dock. The newly bought yacht was found off Bowen on April 18 adrift, unmanned and under sail, with food still on the table, but no sign of the three men. They had embarked two days earlier on an ambitious attempt to sail from Airlie Beach to Perth in a six to eight-week journey. An extensive air and sea search involving up to 10 aircraft was called off after experts ruled out any chance the men would have survived in the water. About 15 family members made the trip from Western Australia for the inquest. Counsel assisting the coroner Julie Wilson likened the case to the enduring mystery of the Marie Celeste, saying many theories abounded as to their fate. These included a misadventure or accident at sea; a possible raid by an unknown third party; a midnight swim with the boat sailing off; and the possibility the men staged their own disappearance. The Marie Celeste, the archetypal ghost ship, was a brigantine discovered unmanned and under sail in the Atlantic Ocean in the 1800s. Francis Tunstead, wife of Peter, asked the coroner to investigate signs of a "scuffle". She said the helicopter rescue paramedic who was first onboard told of "signs of a scuffle" and "knives on the floor" immediately after he was winched back into the chopper. But police did not take fingerprint samples of the cabin interior or any other forensic tests, she said. "It is something I want to know for my own heart," she said. She believed that police did little more than to identify the three men by looking through their wallets and that they assumed they had all been lost overboard in a freak accident. The inquest continues.

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Coronial inquest into missing catamaran crew continues

A coronial inquest into the disappearance of three men from a catamaran off the north Queensland coast has heard evidence from local fishermen.

The Townsville inquest heard from a number of fishermen who spotted a vessel believed to be the Kaz 2.

Des Batten, Peter Tunstead and his brother Jim Tunstead sailed out of Airlie Beach on the 10-metre yacht bound for Perth. They were reported missing on April 15 last year.

A few days later, the catamaran was found off Townsville with no-one on board.

Today Gavin Howland, the skipper of the 'Jillian', told the inquest he spotted a white yacht when he was fishing on a reef off Bowen on April 16.

He said the yacht was drifting sideways and he could not see anyone on board. The inquest heard that Mr Howland had noticed one of the sails was shredded.

The inquest is continuing.

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Katz II - Unexplained Mystery of Ghost Yacht

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Research begins at 30:25

Crikey, Bunk Funkers! What happened to the 3 Aussie blokes aboard the Kaz 2? Come set the sail with Andy and Art as they explore the “ghost ship” Kaz 2. Thanks to Dave for the episode topic!

Andy and Art are taking Mr. Bunker to court. What happened this week in the bunker lore?

In the second segment, Andy and Art give you, the listeners, an uninterrupted presentation of their research into Kaz 2.

Finally, Andy and Art discuss Pirates of the Caribbean, sailing, LOTR, and so much more!

Send us your thoughts to @MrBunkerPod and [email protected] using the hashtag #Daddyz

Music by Michael Martello Artwork by Hannah Ross Audio Editing by Arthur Stone

• Australian coroner ends mystery of 'ghost ship' | Australia news - The Guardian
• Mystery solved of 'Mary Celeste' yacht where crew disappeared leaving engine running - Daily Mail
• The Unsolved Mystery of the Kaz II - Sail World
• Kaz II - Wikipedia
• The Mystery of the Kaz II - YouTube
• KAZ 2 Mystery | GHOST SHIP - Wikipedia
• BrainScratch: The Ghost Yacht - The Tragedy of Kaz II - Wikipedia
• Official Inquest into Kaz 2

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The Mystery of the Kaz 2 - "Ghost Yacht"

Mr. Bunker's Conspiracy Time Podcast

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Mr. Bunker's Conspiracy Time Podcast

Each week, Andy and Art, two Chicago comedians and skeptics, are abducted by the titular Mr. Bunker. Mr. Bunker brings Andy and Art to his secret doomsday bunker where they must podcast about various conspiracy theories, paranormal activity, and all things bizarre! Will Bunker's research convince th… read more

The Mystery of the Kaz 2 - "Ghost Yacht"

Research begins at 30:25

Crikey, Bunk Funkers! What happened to the 3 Aussie blokes aboard the Kaz 2? Come set the sail with Andy and Art as they explore the “ghost ship” Kaz 2. Thanks to Dave for the episode topic!

Andy and Art are taking Mr. Bunker to court. What happened this week in the bunker lore?

In the second segment, Andy and Art give you, the listeners, an uninterrupted presentation of their research into Kaz 2.

Finally, Andy and Art discuss Pirates of the Caribbean, sailing, LOTR, and so much more!

Send us your thoughts to @MrBunkerPod and [email protected] using the hashtag #Daddyz

Music by Michael Martello Artwork by Hannah Ross Audio Editing by Arthur Stone

• Australian coroner ends mystery of 'ghost ship' | Australia news - The Guardian 
• Mystery solved of 'Mary Celeste' yacht where crew disappeared leaving engine running - Daily Mail 
• The Unsolved Mystery of the Kaz II - Sail World 
• Kaz II - Wikipedia 
• The Mystery of the Kaz II - YouTube 
• KAZ 2 Mystery | GHOST SHIP - Wikipedia 
• BrainScratch: The Ghost Yacht - The Tragedy of Kaz II - Wikipedia 
• Official Inquest into Kaz 2

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Andy Katz, NCAA.com Correspondent | March 19, 2024

March madness predictions: andy katz makes his 2024 di men's basketball bracket picks.

Right after the 2024 Division I men's basketball bracket was unveiled on Sunday, NCAA.com's March Madness guru Andy Katz live-streamed his March Madness picks for Bleacher Report. 

He gets into each of his picks in the video , but for now, we'll dive into his most notable predictions from each round and each region, as well as his Elite Eight and Final Four selections.

BRACKET: Check out the 2024 bracket

East region 

• Reasoning: "Tucker DeVries is an outstanding player, a big time scorer coached by his father Darian Reese, and they won the [Missouri] Valley tournament by beating Indiana State. I like Drake here."
• Reasoning: "I just love the way the Illini are playing right now."
• Reasoning:  "These games will be in Boston, so it's a de-facto home game for the Huskies. It will be an absolute war between these two teams, it's going to be incredibly intense, but In a late-possession game I like UConn to get to the Final Four for a chance at back-to-back championships."

West region 

• Reasoning: "They [Nevada] have a team that's already won a tournament (Diamondhead Classic). They've got a lot of momentum and I love the way they're playing."
• Reasoning: "There's great guard play for both schools here, but I just think the momentum is going to continue for the Lobos. Richard Pitino has done an outstanding job resetting the season after the disappointing home loss to Air Force.” 
• Reasoning:  "We get Caleb Love vs. RJ Davis, ACC player of the year vs. Pac-12 player of the Year, teammates a year ago — what a great storyline in Los Angeles. I think Arizona wins it."

South region 

• Reasoning: "Florida's sort of flew under the radar and had a really solid season — they played in the SEC title game — but here's where I pick an upset. I think Colorado beats Boise and Colorado beats Florida." 
• Reasoning: "I think the Badgers have the ability to match Duke on the perimeter and be physical. Steven Crowl is playing very well right now and I think he can match up with [Kyle] Filipowski."
• Reasoning: "Reed Sheppard gets there (to the Final Four) like his dad Jeff Sheppard did, as a three seed. Kentucky advances." 

PLAY TO WIN:  Play the 2024 Bracket Challenge Game

Midwest region

• Reasoning: "Here's the upset: I don't like the mojo right now with Kansas. We don't know about Hunter Dickinson or Kevin McCullar Jr., and without them they are not the same basketball team I'm going with Samford." 
• Reasoning: "Dante vs. Kalkbrenner: what a matchup inside. But Dante is a freak athlete, and I think Kalkbrenner is going to have some problems with him. I like Oregon dancing into the Sweet 16."
• Reasoning: "As much as I think Dalton Knecht, Purdue has the National Player of the Year Zach Edey. I like the Boilermakers."

Final Four 

• Reasoning: "I think the X-factor is going to be Cam Spencer, he's going to make shots. In what I think will be a great high-level game, I think UConn advances to the national championship." 
• Reasoning: "Again, I think this is where Edey rises.”

National championship 

• Reasoning: "This is the game that we've been wanting all season long between the two best, most consistent teams. And with the way UConn has played in the biggest moments, I think they win back-to-back championships."

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