Dutch court bans girl from solo world voyage

[The Straight Story]

Dutch court bans girl from solo world voyage

(AFP) – 8 hours ago

UTRECHT, Netherlands — A Dutch court on Friday barred 14-year-old Laura Dekker from setting off on a round-the-world solo yacht trip for at least eight months, citing safety concerns and placing her in care.

Dekker is seeking to become the youngest person ever to sail around the world alone on a yacht.

"Concerns for her safety are so grave that they constitute a serious threat to her interests should she set sail now," presiding judge Mirjam Oostendorp ruled in the Utrecht district court in the central Netherlands.

"Laura Dekker is hereby placed under the care of child care services until July 1, 2010" when her current school year expires.

The court's decision followed analysis of reports from a psychologist and a sailing expert into the teenager's readiness for the trip.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iOMXlK7Dx87am10Ge6RWjtKF_D6g

[xchrom]

1. 14. -- i should think they would bar her from that. nt

[RaleighNCDUer]

2. I have to wonder if the ruling would be the same if she was

Lawrence instead of Laura.

[la_chupa]

3. I wondered how long it would be before one of these kids got killed

The whole race to be the youngest ____ was how that 7 year old pilot died.

but yes they probably wouldn't be so concerned if she were a boy