Daniel Guerra, an aspiring sailor from Brazil, recently shared the unexpected journey that took a dramatic turn in his life. He encountered a job advertisement from a British yacht owner looking for two deckhands to help sail his yacht across the Atlantic from Brazil—a golden opportunity for any sailor. Although the position didn’t come with a salary, all expenses were covered, and it offered Guerra the chance he needed to gain experience and eventually qualify as a sea captain.
“I was thrilled,” Guerra, 43, recalled. “My dream was to become a captain and work in Europe. It was the start of my journey toward making that dream a reality.”
The excitement grew when Guerra and his fellow recruit, Rodrigo Dantas, met their new employer, George Saul, affectionately known as “Fox.” Initially, the two feared he might be another arrogant yacht owner, but they were pleasantly surprised. “He was very cool and friendly,” Dantas said, reflecting on past experiences dealing with demanding yacht owners.
Fox quickly won over Dantas’ parents, who were apprehensive about their son undertaking such a long journey with a stranger. After meeting Fox, they felt reassured. They later discovered that Fox had brought his yacht Rich Harvest to Brazil for renovations and was looking for skilled crew members to sail it back to Europe.
As they prepared to embark, they encountered a routine police check that extended for six hours, complete with drug-sniffing dogs. “When you travel by plane, your bags are checked; I figured it was just standard procedure,” Dantas explained. They reassured themselves, knowing they had nothing to hide.
On August 4, 2017, the crew finally set sail from Brazil under clear skies, accompanied by a newly appointed French captain, while Fox returned to Europe. Guerra took to Facebook to express his gratitude to Fox for the opportunity, marking the start of what they believed would be a thrilling maritime adventure.
However, two weeks into the journey, the yacht experienced engine troubles, necessitating a stop in Cape Verde for repairs. The sailors found a silver lining in the pause, enjoying the island’s beauty while waiting for the yacht to be fixed.
Tragically, the mood darkened when Cape Verdean police conducted a thorough search of the boat and uncovered nearly 1.2 tonnes of cocaine hidden onboard. “I couldn’t believe it; it felt like my freedom was slipping away,” Guerra shared, reflecting on the shock of being implicated in a drug smuggling operation they knew nothing about.
Facing trial in March 2018, Guerra and Dantas insisted on their innocence, claiming they had no prior knowledge of the drugs. Despite this, both were sentenced to ten years in prison, a significant bust for Cape Verdean authorities. Meanwhile, the alleged mastermind behind it all, Fox, managed to evade capture, with Brazilian police suspecting he orchestrated the smuggling operation.
In August 2018, Fox was arrested in Italy, but due to procedural delays from Brazilian authorities, he was released before extradition. Inspector Andre Gonçalves expressed frustration over the setback, noting Fox’s ability to escape justice despite their extensive efforts.
As Guerra and Dantas maintained their innocence, their families campaigned fervently on their behalf. In 2019, their convictions were overturned, allowing them to return to Brazil, but the shadows of their ordeal still lingered.
Today, Guerra and Dantas find it challenging to secure jobs in the sailing industry, with some employers making unfounded assumptions about their past. Guerra shared that his dreams of sailing around the world now feel distant. “Trusting people again has become hard for me,” he admitted. “I want to see justice served, but if I were to meet Fox, it wouldn’t be the same Daniel. All those negative feelings would come flooding back.”
Now, Guerra reflects on the events that transpired and questions the identity of the man he once called a friend. As he and Dantas work to rebuild their lives, they remain haunted by the very dreams that initially inspired them to embark on that fateful journey.
