Missing sailor's empty yacht found anchored at sea

by Sail-World/Frank Urquhart, News Scotsman on 24 Sep 2010 No explanation has been forthcoming for why missing Scottish sailor Neil MacKenzie's empty and undamaged sailing boat Solitaire was anchored in the sea after a search located the yacht yesterday.

Nothing had been heard from the experienced yachtsman after he set sail from the marina at Highland port of Arisaig on the western coastline of Scotland ten days ago.

However, there have been heavy seas and winds gusting between Force 5 and 8 in the area in recent days. The alarm was raised by Mr MacKenzie's wife after he became overdue, on Wednesday night. He is understood to have been heading for Aberdeen, but the yacht was anchored in a bay in the Sound of Arisaig.

Theories are that he could have either slipped while working on deck or been dragged overboard in heavy seas.

Mr Mackenzie, who had been planning to hand in work for an Open University course, failed to make contact as due. The lone yachtsman had last made contact with family on Tuesday 14 September.

Police found his Subaru Forester car still parked in the car park close to the Arisaig marina.

Yesterday, after a major land, sea and air search was launched to find the missing sailor, his 30ft single-masted yacht was found deserted and lying at anchor by the crew of the Mallaig lifeboat.

A spokesman for Northern Constabulary said: 'Mr Mackenzie has still to be found.'

Mr Mackenzie, 59, is understood to have owned the yacht, which he bought in Canada, for 30 years and had sailed it on a crossing of the Pacific from Vancouver.

The yacht has been berthed at Arisaig for some years, and Mr Mackenzie had used the port to take it on day trips to various lochs and the small isles in the area. However, earlier this month he had driven to Arisaig with the intention of sailing the yacht back to Aberdeen.

Yesterday, the Mallaig and Tobermory lifeboats were launched to join in the search, together with the Coastguard rescue helicopter based at Stornoway and eight Coastguard rescue teams. However, the more time that passes the more hope is fading that the solo sailor will be found alive.