Amsterdam sailor's death in Puerto Rico stuns family

Laurens Higler (26) from Amsterdam was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Puerto Rico on Thursday, 9 months into his trip traveling the world on his sailboat Wilde Vaart with his childhood friends Paul Jansen and Frederiek Looije, Het Parool reports. His family is shocked by his death. They had considered a number of worst case scenarios - traveling the world on a sailboat is dangerous after all. "A ship that sinks mid ocean. Or maybe a mast hitting him on the head." his older brother Andre told the newspaper. But the hit-and-run accident caught them off guard. On Thursday Higler went grocery shopping and got a haircut. He then had a Skype appointment with his girlfriend, Caroline, who lives in London. He was hit from behind as he was walking back to the boat. The car that hit him drove off, leaving him there. A part of the car was found near Higler's body, from which the make of the vehicle can be deduced. This makes it likely that the perpetrator will be found.