Sailor Feared Lost as Storm Herminia Hits

A 73-year-old British sailor went missing after his yacht was found wrecked off France’s southwest coast in stormy conditions. Helicopter searches and aid from other vessels failed to locate him, leading to the suspension of the search amidst worsening weather conditions.

A British sailor has gone missing after his yacht was discovered wrecked off the southwest coast of France amidst severe storms over the weekend, according to French maritime authorities. The disappearance coincided with Storm Herminia's assault on western France.

The yacht’s distress beacon was detected approximately 80 km west of Lacanau on Saturday afternoon. A helicopter dispatched to the location subsequently found the sailboat. Divers found an empty life raft aboard, the Prefet Maritime de l'Atlantique confirmed in a statement issued late Sunday.

Efforts to locate the sailor included a cargo vessel and the Spanish hospital ship Esperanza del Mar. However, after several hours and without any new leads, the search was called off in the early hours of Sunday due to worsening conditions.

(With inputs from agencies.)