Mystery disappearance of one-armed Japanese sailor in Somali waters

by BW Media on 18 May 2009 Has he been kidnapped? If so, why can't his yacht be found? Mystery surrounds the disappearance of a renowned Japanese sailor in Somali waters. Suspicions have been expressed that one-armed Akio Yonago on his 36ft sailing boat Emu II may have been captured off the islands of the Seychelles.

According to statements from the Seychelles, the sailor was one of four sailing boats that left there in a convoy on 28th April. The fourth boat lagged behind and was stopped by the French Navy and advised to turn back to Mahe Island, as two vessels who had just passed before him had been pirated. It was suspected that Emu II was one of these two vessels.

Since his departure and the return of the lagging yacht, attempts by the local yachting fraterntiy to contact Yonago have been unsuccessful and the alarm raised. An Ecoterra (Somali Marine & Coastal Monitor) spokesperson stated at the time: 'We have sent an S&R alert to all our marine observers along the Somali coasts concerning the S/Y EMU II and a possible second yacht, but so far do not have a direct response'

However, in spite of the alert, normally quickly effective, no trace has been found of the yacht after the search along the Somali coastline, leading to doubts about the veracity of the kidnap theory.

Akio Yonago had to first overcome the loss of his left hand when he was 23 years old, the result of a commercial fishing accident before starting his sailing. He is known for his adventurous voyages, including sailing solo across the Pacific and the Atlantic in 1997, for which he won the coveted Naomi Uemura adventure prize in Japan. The prize is given each year 'to person or organization that did something brave and creative in nature, every year. We are giving dream, hope, and courage to people through the prize which is the only one in Japan.'

Yonago was embarked on a round world solo journey and his whereabouts remain a mystery.