Murder on the high seas

From romantic getaways to family holidays, some of the most horrifific deaths happen on the high seas

Honeymoon horror trip

It was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime for Isabella Hellmann and her husband Lewis Bennett. Despite their relationship being under strain following the birth of their daughter Emelia, nine months earlier, Australian sailor Bennett and his Colombian-born wife were excited to celebrate their honeymoon, setting sail on their catamaran through the Florida Straits.

But days into the trip in May 2017 Bennett – a mining engineer formerly from Queensland – sent out a distress call after their catamaran began to sink. Bennett, 41, claims he rushed above deck to find his wife, but was forced to abandon ship. He was rescued, and two hours later when authorities went to find her she had vanished.

Police later learned instead of ensuring his wife was safe, Bennett packed a suitcase containing $54,000 worth of gold and silver coins.

An investigation into Isabella’s whereabouts came soon after Bennett was rescued, with police finding he not only stole $140,000 in coins from a boat he worked on earlier that year, but he’d intentionally opened the portholes to flood the cabin where his wife was staying.

While the search for Isabella continued and Bennett remained adamant she disappeared when their boat collided with an unknown object, investigators were convinced he tried to sink the vessel to cover his tracks.

Last month – after pleading guilty and being sentenced to seven months in jail for theft and transporting stolen goods – he was charged with the murder of his wife, her body still missing. He awaits sentencing.

He is accused of killing his wife at sea. Bennett with his wife Isabella and daughter Emelia, who was not on the boat when it sank. Investigators found the damage came from inside the boat and was intentional.