Abby Sunderland has not been found.
A rescue effort has been launched in hope of finding Abby Sunderland, who set off her emergency beacon locating devices from the southern Indian Ocean early Thursday morning.
Sunderland, 16, who has been attempting to sail around the world alone, endured multiple knockdowns in 60-knot winds before conditions briefly abated.
The teenager was able to set off her emergency beacon locating devices, but the nearest ship was reportedly 400 miles away.
She's in the middle of nowhere pretty much in the southern Indian Ocean and two boats have been sent to find her.
Abby's boat is most likely not completely submerged because another beacon would be triggered at a depth of 15 feet.
Abby Sunderland's family was talking with U.S. and international governments about organizing a search of the remote ocean between southern Africa and Australia. Conditions can quickly become perilous for any sailor exposed to the elements in that part of the world.
Abby last communicated with her family at 4 a.m. PDT and reported 30-foot swells but was not in distress.
