Tragic update for missing South Australian sailor Deirdre ‘Cookie’ Sibly on her ‘trip of a lifetime’ off the coast of Africa

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A South Australian woman and her travelling companion have been confirmed dead in a tragic end to a whirlwind of a sailing expedition.

Port Lincoln sailor Deirdre ‘Cookie’ Sibly, 67, went missing in waters between Mozambique and Madagascar just after a distress signal was made on November 27.

Two bodies were recovered by French coast guards after launching a recovery mission with assistance from ships in the area.

Once they boarded the boat, authorities discovered two bodies.

DFAT has confirmed to 7NEWS.com.au a body belongs to an Australian.

The channel between Mozambique and Madagascar is notorious for pirates, however, DFAT said they could not comment if the body is Cookie or the circumstances surrounding her death.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to the family of an Australian who died in the Mozambique Channel,” a DFAT spokesperson told 7NEW.com.au

“We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time.

“Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment.”

“It isn’t a very safe place in the world to be sailing. She knew that,” Sibly’s sister Sue Good told 7NEWS previously.

According to her friend, Fran Solly, Sibly and her French companion Pascal Mahe were sailing on a friend’s yacht towards Durban to fly home after a voyage Sibly described as the “trip of a lifetime” before they went missing.

It is believed the other body found alongside Sibly, is that of french national, Pascal Mahe.

Cookie has decades of experience on the water, with her and her late husband Colin Sibly being extremely well-known in the sailing and lifesaving community.

Colin was a beloved life member of the Port Elliot Surf Life Saving Club, before tragically losing his battle with cancer in 2019.

On Facebook, tributes for Cookie have been made by the community who mourns such a tragic loss of a vibrant sailor.

“Cookie, as we all knew and loved her, along with her late husband Colin; visited our waters annually in their well known yacht “Calista” (the fair one) for well over 30 years.,” friend and fellow sailor Eric Cotz wrote.

“After Colin passed, Cookie moved to Port Lincoln and carried on sailing, ( mostly single -handed) in her impressive s./v Island Pearl, often to the Group for over-night stays.

“She was a popular and much loved leading light with our Friends of Reevesby Island Group and a valued and energetic worker who also helped out at Tumby Island with our local Osprey nesting platform.

“Her energy was amazing.”