FL FL - Isabella Hellmann, 41, catamaran off Cay Sal, SE of the FL Keys, 14 May 2017 #1 *GUILTY*

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JerseyGirl

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Crews are looking for Delray Beach resident Isabella Hellman, missing since 8 p.m. Sunday. The International Response Coordination Center received a call from Lewis Bennett Sunday night saying his catamaran had struck an unknown object, causing it to take on water off Cay Sal, about 82 miles southeast of Marathon.

Bennett reportedly said he was abandoning the vessel and that his wife, Hellman, was missing. Bennett was rescued around 1:30 a.m. Monday near Cay Sal and brought to Marathon.

Coast Guard vessels and aircraft have been launched in the search for Hellman, a Realtor in Delray Beach.

http://www.flkeysnews.com/news/local/article150564207.html
 
I would like more details on the impact. Was it large enough hit to throw her over board? Or was it more of a scrape on the bottom of the boat, allowing water to get in?

Has the catamaran been recovered?

I'm very suspicious of him not being able to find his wife prior to existing the vessel.
 
I wonder what he struck? I used to live in Marathon, and had been to Cay Sal - something large enough to sink an ocean-going catamaran? Unusual. Maybe the flotsam from a cargo ship? Cal Sal is under the control of the Bahamas - though years ago it had quite a reputation as being a meeting place for pirates and drug runners. These days before you visit you have to file at Bimini first, so it's a long and very expensive proposition... Cay Sal Bank is the third largest and the westernmost of the Bahama Banks. It is located in open ocean between 23º27'N - 24º10'N and 079º25'W – 080º35'W.
 
some additional info:

A 41-year-old Delray Beach woman was vacationing with her new husband this weekend when their boat hit something west of Cay Sal. The newly married couple were on what was supposed to be a two-week vacation together.

The husband radioed help and said the boat was taking on water and his wife, Isabella Hellman, was missing.

Rescue crews found Bennett in a life raft about 30 miles west of Cay Sal, north of Cuba.

As of Monday afternoon, Hellman hasn’t been found despite the sea and land efforts to find her.

The Delray woman, who works as a Realtor, has a 9-month-old daughter.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/l...sing-sea-near-bahamas/ETtrigyT7Wv24aM7AOTcHO/
 
Heartbreaking.

She has a 9 month old baby... is the father this new husband or someone else?
 
too early to know much. I'll sit on my hands for now, but the new details are interesting.
 
The water around Cal Sal is shallow, so it's usually calm. It's also warm - maybe around 80 degrees, or possibly even warmer. It's survivable if someone was conscious and could swim... I just really wonder what he struck? One of the rocks on Cal Sal itself?
 
We travel to the Keys every year, I have never head of Cay Sal!

from info on Cay Sal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cay_Sal

Cay Sal is a small island in the Cay Sal Bank between Florida, Cuba, and the Bahamas. It is no longer inhabited.

Cay Sal is the main island in the southwestern zone of the Cay Sal Bank. It is 1.6 km (1.0 mi) in length and 1.22 km2 (0.47 sq mi) in area.

The island is covered with stunted palm trees and marked by several dilapidated buildings standing on its western side. In its interior there is a large salt pond commonly replenished by heavy wind-driven seas that broach the islet along its southwest side.

The United States Coast Guard constantly monitors Cay Sal and nearby islands for refugees from Cuba. Cay Sal is about thirty miles away from Cuba.
 
reading up on Cay Sal, lots of Cuban immigrant stories and this one:

A Miami charter fishing captain takes parties from Miami to Cay Sal Bank aboard his Fighting Lady to chase wahoo. He said the region in the Florida Straits where is about 150 miles south of Fort Lauderdale.

He described that area of the ocean as "wide open" and "rocky" and said boaters are exposed to the elements, including rough seas and high winds at night.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/fl-man-recovered-bahamas-island-20141216-story.html
 
Not sure which side of the fence I'm on ....
 
The couple ran into trouble when Bennett’s catamaran hit something west of the island of Cay Sal.

The vessel began sinking and Bennett used an emergency beacon to notify the Coast Guard. He said he was abandoning the ship and that his wife had gone missing.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/p...ach-missing-bahamas-woman-20170515-story.html

A helicopter, two planes and a ship are searching the water for Hellman.
 
reading up on Cay Sal, lots of Cuban immigrant stories and this one:

A Miami charter fishing captain takes parties from Miami to Cay Sal Bank aboard his Fighting Lady to chase wahoo. He said the region in the Florida Straits where is about 150 miles south of Fort Lauderdale.

He described that area of the ocean as "wide open" and "rocky" and said boaters are exposed to the elements, including rough seas and high winds at night.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/fl-man-recovered-bahamas-island-20141216-story.html

Thanks for the extra information everyone.

JMO

I suppose its possible if they hit a rock and if she was not holding on well then its possible that she may have fallen off the boat and maybe knocked unconciouse or something where he couldnt find her.

Some things that have me concerned about the story is the one article says they were recently married. And he was in a life raft so I am pretty sure there would be room for two or more people so I am struggling with if they were just taking on water then how come she is not with him.

There was another story about a son and his mother who went fishing in the northeast that sounds very similar to this story. The son was rescued on a life raft and his mother was not found after he had engine trouble and taking on water.

I suppose we have to let investigators take time to do their thing.
A few things sound concerning. Although strange accidents do happen so I am on the fence right now whether or not I believe everything as its being told to LE.
 
Cay Sal:

[video=youtube;UVowNc3JUWw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVowNc3JUWw[/video]
 
Cay Sal:

[video=youtube;UVowNc3JUWw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVowNc3JUWw[/video]

Beatiful waters around there. It does have a feeling of being out in middle of ocean.

Clear waters and I could see where some shallow spots rocks could be around there.

A very interesting place. Would make a wonderful fishing trip.
 
The husband, Lewis Bennett, said the 37-foot catamaran Surf Into Summer, registered in Sydney, Australia, had left Cuba, and he was below deck on, at about 1:30 a.m. Monday, about 30 miles west of Cay Sal, when the boat struck an object.

The man said he came topside to find Hellman gone and the boat taking on water.

Bennett had an emergency transmitter and an E-PIRB emergency positioning beacon and was able toe reach the Coast Guard, which dispatched a Miami-based Coast Guard plane to the spot. It found the boat partially sunk and Bennett in a life raft.

Bennett is a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and Australia.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/d...ys-boat-struck-object/KHtHlmg9QfGYEeQFRvblgK/

newsEngin.18718760_051517-coast-guard-boat.jpg

A photo of the 37-foot catamaran Surf Into Summer, that struck something about 30 miles west of Cay Sal early Monday. (Photo by U.S. Coast Guard)

newsEngin.18718760_Isabella-Hellman-01.jpg_web.jpg


http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/l...-from-catamaran-wreck/ETtrigyT7Wv24aM7AOTcHO/
 
Oh dear, seems like a tragic accident. If she was topside when it hit something she could have easily been knocked unconscious hitting her head on deck and falling into the ocean.


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