Rustenburg – A French sailor who left Hout Bay a month ago, heading to Martinique in the French Caribbean, is missing at sea.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and NSRI rescue stations across the West Coast were keeping a lookout for the sailing vessel, Akela II, in co-operation with the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC).
"Solo sailor Emmanuel Dailler, 56, a Frenchman, aboard the Akela II, a mono hull white sailing yacht, departed Hout Bay Yacht Club on March 2, 2023, destination Martinique, Caribbean.
“The yacht and solo sailor may now be overdue," said NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon.
NSRI, in co-operation with the MRCC, were appealing to sea farers on the Atlantic ocean, islands across the Atlantic ocean, West Africa coastal ports and Caribbean ports to keep a look-out and report any sightings or contact with Akela II.
"Akela II only has marine VHF radio communications onboard. The yacht is plain white with no yacht name appearing on the hull," Lambinon said.
He said an Akela II that was currently in the Caribbean was not related to the missing Akela II with solo sailor Emmanuel Dailler, it is only a coincidence that a second yacht bears the same name.
"At this stage the last known contact with Mr Dailler was on his departure from Hout Bay Yacht Club on March 2," he said.
In a separate incident, the NSRI said a 16-year-old boy drowned at Fransmanshoek, Vlees Bay, on Tuesday, after he and his father, 47, were swept into the sea off rocks from the shoreline while fishing.
The father was found with no injuries and the teenager was located in the water in a gulley close inshore. He was recovered from the water but paramedics declared him dead.
IOL