brandon williamscraig

Joe Strykowski

We 21 Jan 09
Keeley Cultra, daughter of Captain Quen Cultra, called my wife, Lisa Strykowski WilliamsCraig, to let her know that the Queequeg 2 had been found capsized after major storms and that Lisa's father, Joe Strykowski, is currently lost at sea east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.

Nicole Strykowski wrote on Cruiserlog
http://www.cruiserlog.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=11531

About 48 hours ago, someone on my father's boat (The Queequeg II) hit "the panic button" sending a distress call. The embassy in Madagascar sent a search party and 36 hours ago they found the Queegueg II capsized. No bodies were found. The Embassy is planning to send another search party but the cyclones are making it difficult. My sister and I are hoping and praying that he could still be out there. There were three men on the boat (Quen Cultra, Joe Strykowski, and Leo Sherman) and all three are missing.

Th 22 Jan 09
Coordinates of the capsized Queequeg2
24 Degrees 51.26 South
051 Degrees 30.86 East
Nicole believes they were en route to Durban from Mauritius.
They had a dingy and it hasn't been found yet. We are praying that they are still out there in the dingy.

"Lighthouse" the Cruiserlog forum's moderator wrote:

If you look at the chart of ocean currents in the reqion HERE you will see that it is important that you also contact the S African Searh & Rescue. I am still awaiting contact from the S A Maritime Mobile net controller for any other possible news. This net will of course broadcast the details to any other yachts that MAY be in the area - there unfortunately won't be too many at this time of the year.

Unfortunately the Net controller, not having had comms with Queequeg at all, has no additional news but that he was notified of the EPIRB activation. What information he could supply however is that the SAR has been handed over to the French island of Reunion.

Unfortunately the weather does not look good in the area. The EPIRB activation was located over 200 miles east of the southern end of madgascar.

SEE INDIAN OCEAN WEATHER (22/01/09)

Chart from 22/01/09
Reduced 79%

Reunion MRCC is co-ordinating the search - Phone: 262 262 434343, as well as

http://www.indoceanic.com/rubrique05.html

Keeley Cultra is getting her info second hand from the Embassy because they speak English, whereas the French military has Leo and all current information.

We hope to get a family member fluent in French to call and ask for a progress report, particularly:

have they been able to find the dingy/life-raft
Leo's condition and report on the events that lead up to the capsize
Their immediate plans for the next 24hrs, given the approach of midnight in their part of the world.

From : http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f106/father-missing-off-madagascar-22991-2.html

Mixed news I'm afraid.
One man rescued by a merchant ship - name unknown at this stage. The rescued man has told the rescuers that the other two men went overboard without life-jackets. The search is continuing.
Reunion MRCC is co-ordinating the search - Phone: 262 262 434343.
I will update with any further news to hand.

The coordinates that Sad Daughter posted show a location 240 miles east of Madagascar. GRIB data shows that the position was very close to a tropical cyclone, which is now moving out of the area to the southeast. Wind and waves should be abating at this point, which will of course aid the search and rescue efforts.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=6851&d=1232624241

Cultra Family

New Information

I've received an email from family that the person recovered was Leo Sherman. Just thought I would share what we know so far.

from: http://www.lexpressmada.com/display.php?p=display&id=24025

FAITS DIVERS

Tolagnaro

Deux Américains meurent dans un naufrage

Un bateau a sombré à 300 kilomètres au large de Tolagnaro. Trois ressortissants américains étaient à bord. L'un a survécu mais ses deux compatriotes se sont noyés. Leurs corps demeurent introuvables. Le naufrage s'est produit mercredi.
Dans la matinée d'hier vers 9h30, un autre navire a porté secours à l'unique miraculé, qui était piégé dans la cabine. Il a été conduit à l'île de la Réunion pour des examens médicaux et pour éventuellement donner plus de précisions sur les circonstances de l'accident. Les trois Américains ont quitté l'île Maurice le 16 janvier. Leur destination n'a pas été indiquée.
L'embarcation a chaviré en raison du mauvais temps. L'image donnée par le satellite américain « Queequeg » montre qu'il s'agit d'un bateau de couleur blanche. La marine malgache et celles des îles voisines collaborent étroitement. Ces trois forces conjuguent leurs efforts pendant les sauvetages en haute mer et dans la surveillance des côtes.

Nirina Rakotoson et Seth Andriamarohasina
Date : 23-01-2009

internet translation...

A boat sank in 300 kilometres off Tolagnaro. Three American nationals were aboard. The one survived but his two compatriots drowned. Their bodies remain untraceable. Shipwreck occurred on Wednesday. In the morning yesterday at about 9 h 30, another ship helped the only person on whom a miracle has been worked, who was trapped in the cabin. He was transported to the l'île de la Réunion for medical examinations and to give possibly more precision on the circumstances of the accident.

This is plainly yellow journalism.

Julie Williams (my Step-mother) Skyped the French military on Réunion but the fellow who answered the phone refused to answer questions and directed us to the US Coast Guard in Miami. (305) 415-6800

After Leo's rescue from the surface, divers have not actually been up inside the craft to search for survivors due to 20 foot waves, and won't be going back until light.

Fr 23 Jan 09

The French authorities have stopped looking.

Any additional information will not be published here. If there is a need for this to continue as a news story, and I doubt that, anyone dedicated to practicing actual journalism should contact a family member directly. Representatives of media that should have higher standards than that reproduced above have published misleading, uncorroborated, and outright false information in the last few days. Needless to say, this goes beyond inappropriate and burst right through into reprehensible.