Brett Clibbery and wife Found Dead After Attempting Atlantic Crossing

The bodies of Sarah Packwood and her husband Brett Clibbery have been discovered on a washed-up life raft, nearly six weeks after they were reported missing during a sailing trip across the Atlantic Ocean.

Sarah Packwood, a Briton, and Brett Clibbery, a Canadian, were last seen departing from Nova Scotia on their 13-meter (42-foot) eco-friendly yacht, Theros, on a voyage to the Azores. The couple was reported missing on June 18, a week after they set sail. Their bodies were found on Sable Island near Nova Scotia on July 12.

James Clibbery, Brett’s son, confirmed the tragic news on Facebook, stating the past few days had been “very hard.” He expressed that the couple would be “forever missed” and noted the profound impact of their unexplained passing. An investigation into the incident is ongoing, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

One theory being explored by investigators is that the yacht might have been struck by a passing cargo ship, potentially without the ship’s crew noticing. Sources suggested the sailboat’s crew may have been unable to avoid a collision or were below deck with Theros on autopilot. The Canadian coastguard and military aircraft have yet to find any wreckage of the boat.

Brett Clibbery and wife’s post on YouTube before the adventure

In a video posted on their YouTube channel, Theros Adventures, the couple detailed their plans for the “Green Odyssey,” a journey relying on sails, solar panels, batteries, and an electric engine repurposed from a car. “We’re doing everything we can to show that you can travel without burning fossil fuels,” Clibbery said in the video posted on April 12. “It’s probably the biggest adventure of our lives so far,” added Packwood.

The couple’s story began when they met in London in 2015, as Clibbery, a retired engineer, was preparing to donate a kidney to his sister. They married on their yacht in Canada a year later and reaffirmed their vows in a handfasting ceremony at Stonehenge in 2017. Their relationship was featured in a 2020 “How We Met” article in The Guardian. Packwood, originally from Long Itchington, Warwickshire, had previously worked with the UN in Rwanda following the 1994 genocide and had extensive humanitarian experience.

Their final Facebook post on June 11 read: “Captain Brett and First Mate Sarah set sail on the 2nd leg of The Green Odyssey on board Theros – GibSea 42-foot sailboat. Powered by the wind and sun. Heading east to the Azores.”