Credits: Myrabella / Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 3.0.
North of Bermuda, French sailor Marie Descoubes, 28, is declared missing at sea along with American Nathan Perrins during a Maine–Puerto Rico delivery. Their last position, sent on November 5 at 20:12 (AT) via a Garmin, reported low fuel, with no distress call. RCC Bermuda, supported by the US Coast Guard, is coordinating the search. Deteriorating weather, onboard power, and an emergency beacon: many questions remain.
Established Facts: Route and Silence of a Crew Missing at Sea
Sailor Marie Descoubes, 28, founder of Élément-Terre Sail, was delivering the sailboat SV Liahona on the Maine → Bermuda → Puerto Rico route with American skipper Nathan Perrins, 48. According to the marine alert circulated by the BoatWatch network, a last position was transmitted on 11/05/2025 at 20:12 (Atlantic Time) by a Garmin InReach: 33° 33.47’ N – 64° 06.51’ W, north of Bermuda, about 16 hours sailing from the planned stopover. The message accompanying this fix reported low fuel, with no distress declaration at that time. Since then, no communications have been received.
The SV Liahona is described as a Pacific Seacraft monohull of about 11.3 m, launched in 2005. The crew was two people. The itinerary planned a stop in Bermuda on 11/06 before continuing to Puerto Rico.
Who Are the Two Sailors of the ‘Liahona’?
Marie Descoubes, a French sailor from the Atlantic coast, logged multiple long passages and led a low-carbon sailing project via Élément-Terre Sail. Nathan Perrins, an American professional, was performing the delivery as captain. The two form a small, experienced crew, a common setup for this type of autumn crossing.
A Typical Route, Weather That Worsens
The Maine–Bermuda–Caribbean route is typical for the season, aiming to catch the trade winds after a favorable weather window. Around November 5, though, marine forecasts from the Ocean Prediction Center (NOAA/NWS) noted a storm warning off the archipelago: 35 to 50 knots of wind from the West to Northwest, and seas up to 15 to 24 ft (about 4.5 to 7.3 m of significant swell).
These conditions, though temporary, greatly hinder the progress of an 11 m sailboat without engine assist. They also degrade communications. At this stage, none of these scenarios is confirmed; they are mentioned because they are compatible with the information available.
How Are Searches Organized Around Bermuda?
Around the archipelago, search coordination is handled by the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) Bermuda, also known as Bermuda Radio. The center works in concert with the US Coast Guard for long-range air assets. According to Bermudian operational information, a US C-130 was deployed to the northeast of the island. It was used for a sector search before the conditions degraded. Meanwhile, VHF broadcasts and “Be On The Lookout” (BOLO) notices have asked passing vessels to keep an eye out and report any sightings.
Key point: Bermudian authorities indicate a verification is underway regarding the presence and possible activation of an emergency beacon (EPIRB) aboard Liahona. Lack of a satellite signal alone is not conclusive: a beacon may not be onboard, may be nonfunctional, or may not have activated.
Hypotheses and Unknowns: What Relatives and Facts Say
Family members suggest fuel failure ⇒ loss of electrical power ⇒ loss of communications. This chain is consistent with the last message but remains unverified without direct contact with the crew. Other unknowns include: sail condition, fresh water reserves, Garmin InReach battery life, ability to regenerate power (solar panels, hydrogenerator, wind generator), and condition of VHF/HF antennas after a gale.
Estimated arrival dates also vary in media reports (November 13 or 16 to Puerto Rico). This difference reflects the highly variable speeds of an 11 m monohull depending on point of sail and sea state, and whether the engine is used. Long radio silences are common on passages where managing the boat takes priority over communications, but they must be recontextualized given the conditions around November 5.
What We Know About the Boat and Communication Means
The SV Liahona is described as a cutter with a white hull and navy blue striping, equipped with a Garmin InReach (able to send positions and messages via satellite) and a standard onboard VHF. Vessels of this class often carry an EPIRB, but its presence and possible activation are not confirmed at the time of this draft. No Mayday call via Bermuda Radio has been reported concerning Liahona at the time of the events.
In the absence of AIS traces, many yachts do not transmit offshore. Visual reports from ships and VHF 16 radio traffic are therefore essential. Aerial searches remain among the most effective sensors.
A Community Mobilized for Two People Lost at Sea
The BoatWatch network issued a BOLO asking all boats between Bermuda and Puerto Rico to attempt contact (VHF 16, hail calls) and to report any useful information to the appropriate rescue centers. In marinas across Bermuda and the Caribbean, notice boards have shared the alert. Offshore, sailboats are spontaneously increasing their watchkeeping. They are looking for a 37-foot monohull possibly under reduced sail.
Among families and friends, the mood is restrained and persistent. The sailor’s mother noted that a loss of systems can explain prolonged silence. Many sailors confirm that the priority in a squall is to secure the boat rather than answer messages.
Search Reference: Typical Drift of People Missing at Sea Around Bermuda
At 33° 33’ N / 64° 06’ W, Liahona was outside Bermuda’s coastal listening platforms; average drift under squalls with 30 to 40 knot winds can reach 1 to 2 knots for an under-canvased sailboat. Over 16 hours of movement, the uncertainty area expands into a wide cone toward the southeast or south, depending on trimming choices to preserve the boat. C-130 aerial searches scan for these drift patterns with parallel then expanding sweeps.
Reader Service: Who To Notify And How To Report?
- Life-threatening emergency at sea (Bermuda zone): contact Bermuda Radio / RCC Bermuda on VHF 16 (distress call), then switch to a working channel, phone +1 441 297 1010.
- Sighting of a matching sailboat (white hull, blue stripes, 37 feet, two people): record date/time UTC, position, heading and speed of the witness, photo if possible, then report to RCC Bermuda and, depending on position, to the US Coast Guard.
- Context information (non-urgent): BoatWatch network (section ‘Missing or overdue vessels’), useful for centralizing leisure sailors’ reports.
What This Disappearance Says About Offshore Safety
The Liahona case highlights three key principles:
- Power: a yacht can be cut off from communications if electrical production (engine/alternator, panels, hydrogenerator) fails. Redundancy (panels + buffer batteries + powerbanks) and energy saving extend resilience.
- Beacons: a registered, tested EPIRB remains the guarantee of a global alert in distress. An individual PLB and an AIS MOB are useful complements.
- Weather windows: in autumn, west-sector gales between the Gulf Stream and Bermuda require fallback options (ports, sheltered anchorages, early diversion).
Method note: this text reports only verified elements at the time of publication. Hypotheses are attributed and flagged as such. No cause or liability is asserted at this stage.