I'm skeptical - looks like some rich folk are trying to fool people. The meal on the table is what makes me think that.

As a sailor I'd like to point out that there's reports of abandoned yachts at least once a year. Some that have apparently been abandoned for years.

140 nm is doable in a day.

The name of the vessel is very odd. Either this is some sort of sick spoof, or quite a coincidence:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Celeste

The name of the yacht was not given in the article but was Kaz II. The inverted commas imply that the yacht was not called the Marie/Mary Celeste but that it disappeared in a Marie Celeste-like manner.

'Marie Celeste' refers to the type of mystery, being the most famous example. The actual name of the catamaran is Kaz (or Kazz, depending on which story is accurate) II.

Guess the laptop was running Vista and the owner just had enough and jumped overboard...

If I've learned anything from action movies, it's that the boat's occupants have obviously been shot and thrown overboard, likely by a diamond cartel. However, the hero and the attractive daughter of the yacht's owner are on the trail of the thugs in the southern alps, probably on black, turbocharged snowmobiles, so all will be well.

Mark my words.

One bloke goes on deck before dinner to "shoot the breeze". Manages to trip over his Docker laces and slip in the drink. "Halp!" he cries. "Halp!" Both his mates simultaneously dive in after him: "Line? What line? I thought *you* brought the line..."

Ooooooops.