Cruising sailor wanted in murder case 'could be anywhere'

by Cruisers Network Online/Sail-World on 14 Feb 2011 The skipper of a sailing boat is wanted as a person in interest in connection with the homicide at the beginning of February of a French cruising sailor Janpiere Bouahard, and the disappearance of another, American Don North, since the end of January.

The yachts of both men are also missing.

The FBI in Panama City have asked for the assistance of all cruisers throughout the world on the basis that the wanted sailor Javier Martin, skipper of the yacht Twlya, believed to be wrecked and abandoned in the San Blas, 'could be anywhere now'.

According to the conjecture of investigative reporter and editor of the www.panama-guide.com!Panama_Guide, Don Winner, it is possible that Martin has now sailed away on Bouahard's 50ft Aluminium-hulled catamaran, Levante (pictured below) or on North's yacht Windancer, in which case it is too early for him to have reached Australian waters.

The wanted sailor, Javier Martin, is from Valencia, Spain, and is described as a Latin male, approximately 5'7'-8', thin build, with dark hair and eyes. His age is believed to be 36 and he is very fit.

Anyone who has any information regarding Javier Martin should contact the FBI in Panama City, Panama at telephone number 507-207-5000 or local authorities in Australia. You are asked to 'spread this information to all your cruiser friends via SSB radio and VHF radio nets throughout the world.'

The FBI also recommends that you 'Do not approach Javier Martin yourself, but contact any police authority and let them know of the above information. Javier Martin should be considered armed and extremely dangerous.'

It is known that he chartered his sailing boat Twlya taking backpackers between Panama and Cartagena, Colombia, for many years and spent a lot of time in the San Blas Islands off the coast of Panama.