GREATEST HITS: The 1981 Trashman Yacht Sinking

Just the Gist

We've got so many great stories in the JTG back catalogue, but a few really stand out as Greatest Hits. And with so many new Gisteners joining us every day, we thought we'd occasionally revisit some of the old faves.

We told the story of the 'Trashman' yacht sinking way back in 2021, and since then it often pops up as an 'all-time favourite' mention. Strap in Gisteners, it's a WILD ride:

This has been called one the worst shark attack stories of all time. After their yacht, ‘The Trashman’, sank in a major storm, five crew members were stranded in the middle of the ocean in a tiny inflatable dinghy. That number soon turned to four. Then three. Then two. Sharks were circling them, taking the crew one by one. But not before starvation and thirst caused them to mentally unravel and turn on each other (seriously - one crew member got so delirious they started acting like a possessed zombie).

We give you just the gist, but if you want more, there’s this:
‘I Shouldn’t Be Alive’ (Season 1, Episode 1) - available on Amazon Prime: News article about the sinking: www.newsweek.com/woman-fiends-eaten-sharks-capsized-atlantic-1453952%3famp=1
Info on survivor Deborah Scaling Kiley: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deborah_Scaling_Kiley
Deborah’s book ‘Albatross: The True Story Of A Woman’s Survival At Sea: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/273844.Albatross
Transcript of Deborah’s interview with Larry King: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/27/lkl.01.html

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