Authorities have begun to release more details about the tragic passing of 20-year-old Australian model, Sinead McNamara, who died last week while on a working holiday in Greece.
News.com.au reports that McNamara was found unconscious on the Mayan Queen IV – a US$140m superyacht owned by Mexican mining magnate, Alberto Bailleres – early on Friday morning.
A crew member reportedly found McNamara hanging on the rear deck of the yacht, tangled in ropes, according to the Daily Mail.
Local paper the Kefalonian Mantata wrote that officers from the port authority, crew members and a doctor attempted to revive McNamara “for a long time” on the boat, before she was taken to hospital.
After falling into a coma at a local hospital in Argostoli, she was airlifted to Athens for “better” medical attention, but passed away while in transit, a coastguard official confirmed.
The boat which McNamara had been working on for four months had been moored off the coast of Kefalonia. It remains docked at Argostoli while Greek authorities investigate.
A senior officer is reported to have told he UK‘s The Times that McNamara’s death may have been a suicide: “By the looks of it, she took her life. We expect the autopsy to verify this in the coming days.”
A coastguard official said that the owner of the yacht, 87-year-old Bailleres, and his family, left the yacht last Tuesday, leaving only about 24 crew members on board.
Authorities have taken depositions from the crew as part of their investigation, as well as performing an autopsy on McNamara’s body. They’re expected to reveal their preliminary findings later today.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have offered consular assistance to McNamara’s family. Her mother and sister had flying to Greece to meet her when they were informed of her passing.
As The Daily Telegraph reports, family members speaking to press late on Friday said they believed McNamara’s death was likely a boating accident.
Born and raised in Port Macquarie, McNamara had been living in Sydney for the last five years. Her last Instagram post, taken of the coastline at Komitáta in Kefalonia, has become the site of innumerable tributes from friends, fans and family.
If you are contemplating suicide or having suicidal thoughts, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467. If you are in immediate danger, call 000.
