Dad may lose custody of teen sailor

A DUTCH court began sitting yesterday to decide whether to strip custody from the father of Laura Dekker, a 14-year-old locked in a battle with the state over a plan to sail solo around the world.

Dekker returned to The Netherlands under police escort from the Caribbean, where she flew to this week in violation of a Dutch court order barring her from attempting the round-the-world yacht trip.

The teen sailor hopes to become the youngest person to complete the voyage.

But a Dutch children’s court ruled in October to place her under the care of child protection services until July, citing fears for her safety, barring her from setting off for at least eight months.

The court is now to rule whether to definitively remove Laura from the custody of her father Dirk Dekker, who has backed her sailing ambitions. The date of the verdict was unknown, said a court spokeswoman.

Laura Dekker was present for the hearing in the Dutch city of Utrecht along with her parents, spokeswoman Mariska Woertman said.

A court spokeswoman was unable to say when a verdict would be reached. Laura, who currently lives with her father near Utrecht, was reported missing last Friday and found on Sunday on the Dutch Caribbean island of Sint Marteen.

The teen planned to set out on Guppy, her 8.3-metre-long Hurley 800 in September, financed by sponsors, while pursuing her education by internet correspondence.