Kon-Tiki adventurer dies

Thor Heyerdahl, the Norwegian adventurer who accomplished what was thought impossible by crossing the Pacific ocean from Peru to Polynesia on a balsa log raft in 1947, has died in Italy aged 87.

Heyerdahl, whose book Kon-Tiki about the harrowing 101 day feat made him world famous, died peacefully in his sleep, relatives said tonight.