Teen Missing at Sea

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — New Zealand authorities Saturday abandoned their efforts to find the historic sailing ship Nina and its crew of seven, which have been missing since early June.

One of those missing is 19-year-old Danielle Wright of Greenwell Springs, the daughter of Ricky and Robin Wright, now of Lafayette.

Meanwhile, Ricky Wright announced Tuesday that Texas EquuSearch has agreed to weigh in and resume search efforts.

In March 2007, Danielle Wright was featured in The Central Leader.  Both Danielle and her mother Robin are expert photographers, and the article focused on their photography, their country lifestyle, and their home school experience.

The Wrights have been part owners of Acoustical Specialities on South Choctaw.

Danielle is an avid sailor.  She and her parents moved from Greenwell Springs to Panama four years ago and spent a year sailing the Caribbean.  Danielle earned her high school diploma when she was 16 and started college.

The entire Wright family was invited to sail from New Zealand to Australia in early June on the Nina, which is a 70-foot sailing ship built in 1929, especially to compete in a race from London to Spain, which it won.  The captain of the ship is an experienced sailor who is a family friend.  Ricky and Robin almost went on the cruise, but Danielle said she wanted the experience without mom and dad along.

The Nina encountered a giant storm on June 4 and apparently had a rough time but radioed that they were okay.  Then there was silence.  By June 10, Ricky became worried and started contacting authorities.

On June 23, New Zealand Search and Rescue began their search.  The vast area between New Zealand and Australia became the target area but prevailing winds also meant that the ship could have been blown thousands of miles to the east.

After two weeks of searching, New Zealand called a halt to their efforts.  Ironically, the U.S. government discovered that the Nina sent out a message on June 5, which was never received.  That message said the Nina had survived a second storm and that its storm sails were destroyed — not its main sails.  The message gave partial information on the ship’s location.

Robin and Ricky Wright have remained hopeful throughout their ordeal.  “With God, it’s amazing the strength we have,” Robin said Tuesday.  “I don’t know what people would do without God and without prayer,” she said.

The couple has focused their attention on resuming the search.  On Tuesday, there was a breakthrough when Texas EquuSearch agreed to resume the search.

Robin said, “With each passing day, we become a little less optimistic but we think there’s a chance they are still sailing.”  Indeed, ships have been adrift for months at a time, and occupants have sometimes survived, although that is very rare.

Ricky said more than 700,000 square miles of ocean have been searched as well as the few islands in the area, such as Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island.

The Wrights want the U.S. Navy to get involved in the search and asked friends to urge the U.S. government to help them.

Meanwhile, readers can keep up with the unfolding drama on Ricky Wright’s page on Facebook.  Danielle Wright’s page is still active, but it is not being updated.  Another site, www.cruisingoutpost.com, is following rescue efforts.  Within that site, search for Nina.  To contribute to Texas EquuSearch’s efforts,

go to www.texasequusearch.org.

The last thing Danielle told her mom was “See you in three months!” but Robin Wright is hoping it is much sooner than that.