Is this where doomed eco-yacht hit trouble? Final ping of British adventurers disastrous voyage from Canada to Azores occurred 40 miles from the island where their bodies washed up as it emerges tragic couple had failed to make dangerous crossing before

A GPS instrumentality belonging to a sailor who died alongside his British woman arsenic they sailed crossed nan Atlantic whitethorn person pinged nan spot wherever they deed problem - 40 miles from wherever their bodies were yet recovered disconnected nan seashore of Canada.

Brett Clibbery, 70, and Sarah Justine Packwood, 54, were reported missing aft mounting disconnected from Nova Scotia successful Canada for nan Azores successful their 42ft sailing vessel Theros connected June 11 - and were recovered past week successful a washed-up liferaft.

Their yacht, which had been stripped of its diesel motor successful favour of an electrical centrifugal from a Nissan Leaf electrical car, past issued a ping connected June 11 arsenic it near Halifax. 

But Canadian Mr Clibbery was besides carrying a Garmin GPS instrumentality that sent retired a last awesome 2 days later astir 40 miles south-west of Sable Island - nicknamed nan 'Graveyard of nan Sea' - wherever nan lifeboat was discovered connected July 10.

The fatal voyage was nan 2nd effort nan mates had made astatine sailing crossed nan Atlantic to nan Portuguese mid-Atlantic archipelago. Investigators person not ruled retired nan anticipation nan alloy was struck by a overmuch larger ship.

Mr Clibbery and Ms Packwood amade an earlier effort to scope nan Azores successful 2019 earlier they were forced to move backmost aft encountering vicious storms connected nan sea.

Ms Packwood had said of nan earlier attempt: 'The Atlantic is still going to beryllium location adjacent year. We will effort again. As Robert nan Bruce said, "if astatine first you don't succeed, effort and effort again", and that is what we intend to do.'

The couple's remains were recovered connected Sable Island, nicknamed nan 'Graveyard of nan Atlantic', 180 miles disconnected nan seashore of Nova Scotia, successful nan liferaft that washed ashore. They had intended to sail to nan Azores 900 miles westbound of Portugal.

The Theros was a upwind and solar-powered alloy piloted by nan brace to show really recreation tin beryllium done without utilizing fossil fuels. The brace besides shared videos connected their YouTube channel showing them driving crossed Canada successful an electrical car.

Investigators are assessing whether nan vessel whitethorn person been struck by a larger vessel. No distress calls look to person been issued by nan couple.

In a connection shared connected their Facebook page, nan mates had written: 'We purpose to sail crossed nan ocean, each being well, adjacent winds and pursuing seas pinch us!' They labelled nan travel portion of their 'green odyssey'.

Mr Clibbery has been described arsenic an knowledgeable sailor and mechanic, while Ms Packwood said connected her individual blog she had learned to sail astatine a assemblage sailing nine earlier becoming a unit personnel connected nan Lord Nelson for nan Jubilee Sailing Trust.

'Learning to sail Theros though was an altogether different kettle of fish,' she wrote.

Data from VesselFinder suggests nan Theros past issued an Automatic Identification System (AIS) ping astatine 7.26pm UTC - astir 4.26pm successful Nova Scotia - connected June 11 arsenic it near nan harbour successful Halifax from nan Dartmouth Sailing Club.

But Mr Clibbery's Garmin outer instrumentality continued broadcasting a continuous outer position for much than 2 days arsenic nan Theros made its measurement east.

As nan yacht near Halifax, nan search information suggests nan vessel travelled astatine astir 10-11km/h, aliases astir 5.5 knots, for much than 2 days.

Data reported by nan instrumentality suggests that its artillery was 'normal', and it regularly reported accusation astatine 10 infinitesimal intervals.

However, astatine 8.36pm UTC connected June 13, nan instrumentality made its past broadcast astir 40 miles south-west of Sable Island.

Precisely what happened to nan Theros is still taxable to an investigation. However, a starring mentation is that nan vessel was struck by a overmuch larger alloy soon aft leaving Halifax.

A root pinch knowledge of nan investigation told Canadian news tract Saltwire: 'While they do not person conclusive proof, (investigators) fishy nan sailboat whose unit washed up dormant connected Sable Island was struck by a bulk bearer (that was not loaded) apt only a fewer days aft departing Halifax.'

The unit connected committee nan larger vessel are reported to person told investigators they were not alert of coming into interaction pinch a sailboat - nor were location immoderate signs of a collision connected nan hull of nan bigger vessel.

Coastguard searches of nan area for traces of nan Theros person turned up nary signs of nan sailboat. The root besides said that nan amateur quality of nan boat's motor replacement could person presented issues. 'It was a homemade job,' they said.

Mr Clibbery and Ms Packwood were formally reported missing connected June 18, a week aft they had group sail. The travel to nan Azores had been scheduled to return 21 days.

Sharing a last station connected June 11, nan brace had written: 'Captain Brett and First Mate Sarah group sail connected nan 2nd limb of The Green Odyssey connected committee Theros - GibSea 42 ft sailboat. Powered by nan upwind and sun. Heading eastbound to nan Azores.'

The station was accompanied by a video of Mr Clibbery telling viewers nan vessel was astir 12 miles retired from nan shore, moving astatine an mean of 5.5 knots.

'If nan upwind stays nan aforesaid arsenic it is correct now we're fundamentally eastbound south-east, which will get america to nan Azores, truthful we'll see,' he said.

However, pinch nary updates forthcoming thereafter, friends and family began to stock concerned messages underneath their last station - sharing their correspondence pinch rescue coordinators successful Halifax arsenic they searched for nan Theros.

A mayday awesome was issued by Halifax coastguard crews to each ships adjacent connected July 3 - while rescue workers successful nan Azores were besides searching for nan vessel successful lawsuit it had arrived crossed nan Atlantic.

But nan worst fears of nan couple's friends and family were confirmed earlier this period aft nan liferaft was discovered connected Sable Island - 175 miles from Halifax. 

Nova Scotia's Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed they had been made alert of nan remains connected July 10 wrong nan Sable Island National Park Reserve.

'On July 10, astatine astir 3:15 pm, RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment and nan Joint Rescue Coordination Centre were contacted, by Parks Canada, aft a 10-foot inflatable vessel was recovered washed ashore pinch 2 deceased group connected board,' a connection read.

'At this time, it's thought to beryllium a lifeboat for a larger alloy named Theros. The remains are believed to beryllium those of 2 sailors, a 70-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman, from British Columbia. 

'They were reported missing to nan Joint Rescue Coordination Centre connected June 18 aft leaving Halifax Harbour connected June 11, en way to nan Azores.'

A Nova Scotia RCMP spokesperson told MailOnline today: 'The incident remains nether investigation and location is nary further update astatine this time.'

Hugo Fontaine, Canadian proscription information committee spokesman, told nan Telegraph: 'At this time, we cannot opportunity pinch complete certainty that nan sailing alloy was struck by a ship, arsenic we are still gathering accusation regarding nan overdue sailing alloy Theros.' 

The mates were wed connected nan Theros successful 2016, according to Ms Packwood's individual blog, a twelvemonth aft gathering astatine a autobus extremity in London.

Mr Clibbery was successful nan process of donating a kidney to his sister, Glory, who lived successful nan UK astatine nan time, the Vancouver Sun reported, while Ms Packwood is from Long Itchington, Warwickshire.

They later held a 'handfasting' Celtic ceremonial astatine Stonehenge successful April 2017, posting a video of nan brushwood connected their YouTube channel.

Later, they sailed on nan Pacific seashore of Canada, nan USA and swathes of Central America, crossing done nan Panama Canal. 

Their travel to nan Azores was meant to beryllium a afloat 'green' travel connected Theros aft nan boat's diesel motor was removed successful favour of upwind and star power, charging nan electrical car artillery from a Nissan Leaf.

Posting a tribute connected societal media, Mr Clibbery's boy James said his begetter and his woman were 'amazing people'.

He said: 'The past fewer days person been very hard. My begetter James Brett Clibbery, and his wife, Sarah Justine Packwood person regrettably passed away.

'I americium truthful very sorry to nan group who were friends of them.

'They were astonishing people, and location isn't anything that will capable nan spread that has been near by their, truthful acold unexplained passing. 

'Living will not beryllium nan aforesaid without your wisdom, and your woman was quickly becoming a beacon of knowledge, and kindness.

'I miss your smiles. I miss your voices. You will beryllium everlastingly missed.'

Tim O'Connor and John Dolman, friends of nan couple, told nan Times Colonist the brace 'loved to recreation and meet caller people'.

Mr Dolman said: 'She called him "captain" and called herself nan "carpenter's apprentice".

'They were successful love. They passed distant doing nan point that they loved. Their escapade continues connected nan different side.'

Mr Clibbery had explained successful a YouTube video really nan vessel had been prepared to sail crossed nan Atlantic pinch nary fossil substance assistance whatsoever.

'We've installed six star panels to complaint nan batteries, we person connected committee a Nissan Leaf artillery battalion that we usage to thrust nan engine, truthful we person to get everything put together,' he said.

Ms Packwood, who described herself arsenic a 'adventurer, artist, bard-in-training, co-creator, intuitive healer, humanitarian, musician, nature-lover, singer-songwriter, traveller and writer', volunteered arsenic a humanitarian assistance worker successful Rwanda pursuing nan country's sadistic genocide successful 1994.

She met Mr Clibbery successful 2015 astatine a autobus extremity other nan Department for International Development agency successful London, and later discontinue her job, sold her London level and joined him connected nan Theros successful Salt Spring Island, Canada.