Collection 1: "Parents of Rescued Teenage Sailor Abby Sunderland Accused of Risking Her Life" by Paul Harris

A teenage girl attempting to sail solo around the world was rescued yesterday in a remote spot of the Indian Ocean, bringing to a successful conclusion the dramatic bid to save her life.

Sixteen-year-old American Abby Sunderland was picked up from her stricken vessel by a dinghy launched from the French fishing boat Ile de la Reunion.

She got out of her vessel with the clothes on her back, and we are just really excited and ecstatic that Abigail is in safe hands.

The vessel was apparently pounded by gigantic waves that had destroyed its mast, which in turn knocked out her satellite communications equipment.

The yacht was then effectively left floundering midway between Africa and Australia. It is likely to be allowed to sink.

Sunderland had activated an emergency beacon which started a huge search and rescue operation involving Australia, America, and France.

Numerous ships became involved in the hunt, as well as a chartered jet which spotted the teenager late on Thursday.

One commentator on the Los Angeles Times website summed up the view of many: “Abby Sunderland was on the wrong type of boat (a racing yacht) in the wrong location (the southern Indian Ocean) at the wrong time of year (winter in the southern hemisphere). Other than those minor details, it was a well-planned voyage.”

But the family have robustly defended themselves.

They have even used the debate to criticize the too-careful tendency of much modern parenting advice and said that a certain amount of risky challenge was healthy for an adventurous child.