Danger Data

Help find missing people

Rescue Wiki – check it out!

Rescue Wiki is a new website to assist Search and Rescue efforts around the world. Like DangerData.com it is an experimental approach to enlisting online help for SAR efforts.

Wikis can be a good way to collectively process information if you are dealing with a computer savvy crowd, but in my experience they limit participation compared to blogs which make it easier to comment and to passively participate.

Rescue Wiki has both, which may be a great solution.

Check it out and let him know what you think!  Rescue Wiki

February 12, 2007 Posted by JoeDuck | Jim Gray, Missing Person, Search and Rescue | | No Comments Yet

Jim Gray, computing pioneer, missing at sea. Help find him.

Click HERE for the “Help Find Jim” website  | Tenacious (Jim Gray’s Boat) Search blog. 

The satellite pictures at Amazon have all been scanned and those identified as important are now under review. Amazon reports this amazing volunteer effort:

During the last 5 days, Mechanical Turk workers looked at more than 560,000 images3 satellites, covering nearly 3,500 square miles of ocean.

The New York Times is covering the story as is Amazon’s Werner Vogels.

Current news stories click here

Enter comments below

Earlier:
Tom, a very experienced sailor himself, just informed me of Jim Gray’s misfortune:

He was sailing offshore, alone, in good weather with a well-equipped yacht. He’s said to have “more than 10 years’ experience,” but reports from friends say he’s been sailing much longer than that.

My guess is man-overboard. He would have known about keeping a harness on at all times when offshore if he’s as experienced as has been said, but he was on a trip to scatter his mother’s ashes and his emotions may have clouded his judgement. Or he might not have been as experienced as his friends thought and he may not have been clipped in.

Honestly, when I was young and dumb I went out alone, but I wouldn’t want to go out offshore alone. Or would I? I’ve been from Salem to Marblehead and to Gloucester without anyone on board. He was going to the Farallon Islands, though, which is ~25 miles out. That’s pretty far out to be alone.

Other possibilities are:

Container collision: containers are a lethal hazard offshore. Containers overboard from a ship float awash for months and can kill a yacht in seconds if the yacht rams them at an angle that staves in the hull.

Ship collision: thought to be somewhat less likely b/c the weather was good and he was out for a day sail.

Catastrophic health issue: he is 63, but in good health.

Equipment failure: As you may recall, this can be a problem.

February 3, 2007 Posted by JoeDuck | Jim Gray | | 54 Comments