Sinead McNamara: Greek cops to reveal how Aussie model died
MYSTERY still surrounds the death of an Aussie model on board a billionaire’s superyacht in Greece, as police prepare to release the results of an autopsy.
National
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THE preliminary results of a post mortem investigation into the death of Australian model Sinead McNamara on a billionaire’s superyacht are expected to be released today.
The 20-year-old, originally from Port Macquarie in NSW, had been working as a crew member on the Mayan Queen IV for four months when she died on Friday while it was anchored near the Greek island of Kefalonia.
Authorities contacted by The Sunday Times UK said initial evidence pointed to the possibility of suicide.
“By the looks of it, she took her life,” a senior officer with knowledge of the investigation said.
“We expect the autopsy to verify this in the coming days.”
Ms McNamara posted a cryptic message to Instagram two weeks earlier.
“My head is all over the shop today,” she wrote, alongside an image of herself on a quad bike with emojis of a volcano, a tornado and a needle with blood dripping from it.
The six-storey ship, valued at about $US140 million ($A194 million), belongs to Mexican mining magnate 87-year-old Alberto Bailleres, who is worth an estimated $A9.6 billion.
According to local media, Mr Bailleres had been holidaying on the boat, which had docked at Amorgos, Naxos, Paros and Thira before he and his family returned to Mexico on Tuesday.
Ms McNamara was alone with the crew, which can number 24, when she was found unconscious off the back of the boat, twisted in rope, in the early hours of Friday.
According to local reports there were desperate efforts by the crew, one a doctor, as well as port officials to resuscitate Ms McNamara, but she died later that day while being taken by helicopter to a private hospital in Athens.
Ms McNamara’s mother, Kylie, and her sister, Lauren, were on their way to Greece for a family catch up when they heard the grim news.
Days earlier she took to Facebook to write about her “excitement” to meet up with her family again.
The billionaire’s superyacht was scheduled to sail today but has been ordered by the Hellenic Coast Guard to remain docked at the port of Argostoli, Kefalonia, until detectives have interviewed all crew members and a forensic examination of the vessel is complete.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to Ms McNamara’s family.
For help with emotional difficulties, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or www.lifeline.org.au