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Couple Who Ditched Conventional Living for a Sailing Yacht Ends Tragically

Only a few years ago, Karl-Volker and Annemarie Frank were proudly christening their new sailing yacht “Escape,” determined to switch from conventional working and living in Germany to enjoying their floating home full time. By all accounts, they did enjoy the past three years to the fullest. Unfortunately, their adventure was brought to a halt by a tragic accident.
Escape was the 67-foot sailing yacht that the couple was living on full time, traveling the world 10 photos
Photo: Sailing Escape
The couple that was traveling onboard the Escape sailing yacht passed away tragicallyThe couple that was traveling onboard the Escape sailing yacht passed away tragicallyThe couple that was traveling onboard the Escape sailing yacht passed away tragicallyThe couple that was traveling onboard the Escape sailing yacht passed away tragicallyThe couple that was traveling onboard the Escape sailing yacht passed away tragicallyThe couple that was traveling onboard the Escape sailing yacht passed away tragicallyThe couple that was traveling onboard the Escape sailing yacht passed away tragicallyThe couple that was traveling onboard the Escape sailing yacht passed away tragicallyThe couple that was traveling onboard the Escape sailing yacht passed away tragically
The 57-year-old Karl and his 54-year-old wife had left Bermuda and were headed to Nova Scotia with two American passengers on board when the tragic accident occurred, the Mirror reports. Even though they were aware of the tropical storm “Alex” approaching (as they have mentioned in their last social media post), Karl and Annemarie unfortunately did not avoid it.

It seems that, because of the storm, the yacht’s rigging was damaged, injuring Annemarie, then Karl, when he tried to save her. After the two passengers reached out for help, U.S. Coast Guards came to the rescue. Unfortunately, the couple passed away, and only the other two people onboard stayed alive. According to the Mirror, both German and U.S. authorities are still investigating the exact circumstances of the accident.

Like most people who decide to live full-time on a sailing boat, the German couple probably didn’t have any prior experience with sailing before embarking on this challenging adventure. Their boat, called “Escape,” was a 67-foot (20,6 meters) yacht built by CNB in 2019, the year when Karl and Annemarie started their new life on water.

At the time of its launch, it was described as “the biggest sailboat that can be handled by a family crew,” which means that it was designed to be easily maneuvered by a small crew while also being spacious and comfortable. On the blog where they shared their life at sea, Escape’s owners had said about the boat that it not only “meets all the requirements of a modern sailing yacht, but at the same time she is our home.”

After the tragic death of its owners, the Escape sailing yacht was towed to Dartmouth Cove in Nova Scotia. It was the end of a three-year-long adventure that became a cautionary tale for all the brave souls who dream of a similar lifestyle change – as amazing as it sounds, the inherent risks should never be minimized.
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About the author: Otilia Drăgan
Otilia Drăgan profile photo

Otilia believes that if it’s eco, green, or groundbreaking, people should know about it (especially if it's got wheels or wings). Working in online media for over five years, she's gained a deeper perspective on how people everywhere can inspire each other.
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