April 18 2002 legendary Thor Heyerdahl died from cancer at his home in Italy.

I was fortunate to be able to interview Thor on the train back to Paris and he explained how his dream for Ra 2 was to have many nations represented on board. He especially wanted a Russian on board, but the negotiations with the Russians to arrange this were torturous. In the end Thor gave the Russians an ultimatum: either send a Russian Doctor now or I will ask for a Doctor from another Eastern European country.

In two days Thor was told his Russian Doctor would arrive on a plane in Egypt, he went to meet the plane and he (Thor) described how he was looking at everyone getting off the plane and trying to guess which one was his Doctor/crew member. At Last Yuri Senkevitch was the last of the plane... he was drunk.

During the trip Thor noticed that Yuri did not drink and he asked him at sea "how come you were drunk when I met you off the plane" Yuri said "I was told  I had to be friendly when I met you so they gave me vodka on the plane".

ORS is saddened to hear that Thor has passed on, but we of coarse recognize that thanks to his passion to adventures Thor lived a long and exciting life and has left a record of his achievements both written and on film that will live on.
                                                                                                                                                                                       Kenneth F.Crutchlow
 

Determined to prove that early man could have crossed the ocean in reed boats, Thor Heyerdahl sailed a reed boat named Ra 2 for 3,270 sea miles (6,100 kilometers) in 57 days in 1970. Courtesy: Thor Heyerdahl
 

Ukrainian oceanrower Theodore Rezvoy hosted by Thor Heyerdahl at the Park of Piramids Museum. 
Guimar, Tenerife, March 2001.