Posted on 07/07/2023 1:55:20 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A pensioner is thought to be lost at sea after his empty yacht was found 50 miles off the coast Duncan Lougee, 70, was trying to sale single-handedly to Ireland
A pensioner is thought to be lost at sea after a Welsh rescue crew located his missing yacht some 50 miles off the Welsh coast. Duncan Lougee, 70, had set sail from Plymouth on board his yacht The Minke headed towards Ireland.
Mr Lougee was on his way to Baltimore and was due to arrive on June 22, via the Isles of Scily, as part of the Jester Challenge. But there has been no contact with Mr Lougee since his day of departure on June 18.
An Irish fishing vessel spotted the yacht on Thursday, June 29 and the Angle all-weather lifeboat was requested to launch by Milford Haven Coastguard to assist with the multi-agency search and recovery on the 110-mile round trip. While it made the trip to the Minke, 50 miles west of St Anne’s Head in Pembrokeshire, an Irish coastguard helicopter, Rescue 117, had arrived on scene and a winchman was lowered onto the yacht, which had been overdue for six days. He was able to confirm that nobody was onboard.
Following the lifeboat’s arrival on scene, two crew members went onboard to inspect the vessel for any information that may have indicated the last known position of the casualty.
“At this point, R117 from Ireland left and was replaced by Coastguard Rescue Helicopter R924 from Newquay, Cornwall,” said a spokesperson for Angle Lifeboat RNLI. “Due to the nature of the incident and the extent of the search area, a coastguard search plane, Rescue 51 had also been tasked and was now on scene closely followed by Coastguard Rescue Helicopter R187 from St Athan.
“With our crew members now onboard, new information was found indicating the last recorded position of the occupant. With the lifeboat out of VHF range, this information was passed to Rescue 51 for relay to Falmouth Coastguard and, following their discovery, all search assets were stood down as the new search area had shifted significantly south.”
The Angle lifeboat crew towed the yacht south and were met by Padstow lifeboat crews who then proceeded to tow the yacht back to Padstow harbour.
Lifeboat crews towed the boat back to Padstow harbour (Image: Angle Lifeboat RNLI) Mr Lougee from Colchester, Essex, remains a missing person and Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed the search has been called off.
“Therefore, due to the potentially vast and prohibitive area of search at sea, at this time there is currently no new searches planned by Coastguard.”
A spokesperson from HM Coastguard said: ““Extensive searches were carried out and coordinated by HM Coastguard and the yacht found. The search was terminated once it became clear that the period of survivability had passed.”
DI Massey added: “This matter will remain under review and if any fresh information comes to light, this will be assessed accordingly. We have informed the family of these initial updates and our thoughts are with them at this time; the family of Duncan Lougee have asked for privacy.”
Some ‘sale’ to get to Wales.
Either that or he needs to work on his knots.
very small boat, very big ocean
Aliens.
That’s a “yacht?” Not down here in Trump Boat Parade Country it’s not.
Landsharks.
“Pensioner”
I never understood the purpose of this term. You see this in Brit media
Some decades ago, a Hollywood couple decided to go swimming at night off their yacht. They didn’t put down a ladder and could not get back aboard. They died.
If you fall over the side and you don’t have a line trailing off the back, you’re done. Being alone at sea is damned dangerous.
I’m 69. Twice in the last year, with no warning, I was incapacitated by a medical event I had no idea was happening. I was at home and even getting to the phone was close to impossible. Imagine that at sea.
That’s a 26 footer at most
I thought the same. This from Wikipedia:
A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a yacht, as opposed to a boat, such a pleasure vessel is likely to be at least 33 feet (10 m) in length and may have been judged to have good aesthetic qualities.
When and where???? I wibe there
It is a retired person who is living on his pension.
When and where???? I will be there!!!
I never understood the purpose of this term.
Just a guess but I’d think it is similar to retiree
Always tie off with a bowline, when underway.
Especially if alone
Jupiter, FL is pretty much the epicenter.
Isn’t that a classic way for a rich guy with a secret to fake his own death. I think I saw that in Columbo, or maybe it was “Gilda” with Rita Hayworth.
Wasn’t there a British Lord that disappeared this way in the 1960s?
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