Teenage Dutch sailor Laura Dekker was tracked down on the Caribbean island St. Maarten on Sunday, days after she ran away from home leaving her boat behind.

Dekker, who is 14, made headlines around the world earlier this year when she unsuccessfully went to court as a 13-year-old to fight for the right to set off on a single-handed circumnavigation of the world in her boat, The Guppy.

St. Maarten police spokesman Ricardo Henson confirmed that Dekker was on the island Sunday evening, and said efforts are under way to get her back to the Netherlands. St. Maarten is part of the Netherlands Antilles, a group of self-governing islands that are part of the Dutch kingdom.

Earlier Sunday, Dutch authorities issued an international alert after Dekker was reported missing Friday. A family spokeswoman said Laura left a letter for her father before disappearing, but refused to say what was in the letter.

In October, Utrecht district court refused to let Dekker embark on her attempt to become the youngest person to sail alone around the world, and placed her under the supervision of child care authorities until next July, meaning she could not leave the country without their permission. The decision sparked a worldwide debate on how much authorities and parents should limit children's freedom to undertake risky adventures.

Dekker has joint Dutch and New Zealand citizenship because she was born on a yacht in New Zealand waters. She said earlier this year she might try to go there if Dutch authorities refused to let her sail.

After the October court ruling Dekker remained confident she would be ready to sail next July and would still be able to set the record as the youngest sailor to circumnavigate the globe.

Laura's parents, both veteran sailors, are separated. Laura's father supported the attempt, but her mother said in a newspaper interview in September she thought Laura was too young.