A 14-metre sailing yacht, Ocean Rambler, was found aground on Cape Bedford Beach late on Saturday 13 September, triggering a police search and missing persons investigation that has so far found no trace of the vessel's sole occupant.
Officers attended the scene and searched the surrounding area at around 8am the following morning, Sunday 14 September, but located no one connected with the yacht.
Queensland Police have confirmed that Ocean Rambler was on passage from Vanuatu to Australia. Preliminary information indicates the sole occupant, a 62-year-old American, made his last written records on 10 September, three days before the yacht was spotted ashore.
ABC Far North has reported that the yacht is registered to American sailor Hartwell Champagne, 62, who departed Vanuatu on 3 September. Police have spoken with Mr Champagne's family in Texas, who had been expecting him to make landfall in Australia.
Acting Detective Inspector Cindy Searle told ABC that authorities had taken expert advice on the scale of the search area and would not be conducting a water search. Investigators are examining electronic devices recovered from the vessel, hoping to reconstruct the yacht's voyage track, with that information to be provided to the state coroner. Police are also working to determine whether Ocean Rambler was operating under autopilot or being actively steered before it came ashore.
The confirmed sequence of events runs as follows. On Wednesday 10 September, the last entry was recorded in the yacht's records. Late on Saturday 13 September, Ocean Rambler was observed aground at Cape Bedford Beach, north of Cooktown. At around 8am on Sunday 14 September, police searched the immediate area and found no person.
Queensland Police have issued a public appeal for anyone who sighted Ocean Rambler prior to Sunday 14 September to come forward. Information can be passed to Policelink or directly to Cooktown Police, quoting reference QP2501657177 in either case.
