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Fears grow for missing Transatlantic sailor in his 60s as his yacht is found drifting with nobody on board

Duncan lougee, from essex, went missing after setting sail from plymouth at midday on 18 june, article bookmarked.

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Duncan Lougee

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Fears are growing for a missing Transatlantic sailor in his 60s after his yacht was found drifting with nobody on board.

Duncan Lougee, from Essex , went missing after setting sail from Plymouth at midday on 18 June.

Mr Lougee was due to arrive in Baltimore, Ireland , on 22 June, but there had been no contact since his departure, prompting a search to be launched.

Duncan Lougee is from Essex

The search was called off after the sailor’s yacht was found off the coast of Cornwall on Thursday. Mr Lougee was not on board, the UK Marine and Coastguard Agency said.

His boat was found 70 miles (113km) north west off Trevose Head.

Mr Lougee, who lived in Dedham near Colchester, was taking part in the single-handed sailing challenge. He has previously completed the same trip successfully and was planning to sail the route via the Isles of Scilly.

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He was described as an “experienced yacht broker, boat builder and sailor”.

The missing Essex resident had undertaken many miles of sailing, including single-handedly crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

The UK Marine & Coastguard Agency said: “The search for the yacht Minke and its skipper, who was taking part in the single-handed Jester Challenge, from Plymouth to Baltimore, Ireland, has been stood down.

“The yacht was found on 29 June approximately 70 miles north-west off Trevose Head, Cornwall; sadly the skipper was not on the vessel.

It is unclear in what condition the missing vessel was found in.

Duncan Lougee was decribed as an ‘experienced sailor’

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall police confirmed Mr Lougee “remains missing”.

They added: “The Minke is due to be brought to shore and Coastguard will continue searches in the area.”

Mr Lougee’s next of kin has been informed of the latest developments, Devon and Cornwall police said.

The sailor was last seen around Falmouth Bay near the Helford River at around 2pm on Monday, June 19.

A Facebook post described Mr Lougee’s family as “frantic”. It said: “On behalf of the family, please look out for Duncan Lougee who has been missing at sea off the south coast since 18 June.

“Any information, no matter how seemingly insignificant, is desperately needed.

“As you can imagine, his family are frantic.”

Mr Lougee was a director for yacht broker firm Clarke and Carter. A spokesperson for the company said they are “deeply concerned” for Mr Lougee’s wellbeing.

“On behalf of the entire yachting community here in Suffolk, we would like to express our huge gratitude to the authorities for their ongoing search,” the statement said.

“Our priority at this time is supporting Duncan’s family.”

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Update: Signs that missing Cork-bound sailor hadn't made entry in ship's journal in 9 days

LAST UPDATE | Jun 30th 2023, 4:01 PM

DEVON AND CORNWALL Police have said that there are signs that the now missing sailor who was journeying from Plymouth to Cork on a solo challenge hadn’t made a fresh entry in the ship’s journal in at least nine days. 

The search for Duncan Lougee, an experienced boatsman who was partaking in the ‘Jester Challenge’ that was to see him dock in Baltimore, Cork, has been stood down. 

Today Detective Inspector Daniel Massey said that the ship Lougee had been aboard, but was found empty with no indication of his whereabouts, has been docked in Cornwall.

“Whilst Mr Lougee remains officially a missing person, responsibility of searches in open water sits with the Coastguard. However, yacht Minke has been missing since it left Plymouth on Sunday 18 June, and initial enquires appear to show no fresh entries in the ships journal for at least nine days.

“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,” he said. 

Massey further stated: “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.”

A spokesperson for HM Coastguard said that extensive searches were coordinated, but that the search was stood down once the “period of survivability had passed”. 

Sighting off Cork coast led to ship being found 

Duncan Lougee, an experienced boat builder and sailor, set sail from Plymouth, Devon for Baltimore on the Cork coast on 18 June in his yacht the ‘Minke’ and was expected to have arrived by the 22nd.

The Dublin Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre was advised of a possible sighting of the Minke 120 kilometres south east of Ballycotton, Co Cork yesterday and Coast Guard helicopter R117 was dispatched, the Irish Coast Guard said.

Upon discovering that Duncan Lougee was not aboard, R117 departed the scene and the yacht drifted south east into UK territory.

In a statement issued this morning, the UK Coast Guard said:

“The yacht was found yesterday approx. 70 miles North West off Trevose Head, Cornwall, sadly the skipper was not on the vessel.”

The Jester Challenge issued a statement on its website  this morning paying its respects to Duncan Lougee.

“The UK authorities took over, sending a helicopter and a lifeboat to retrieve  Minke.”

“Duncan, tragically, was no longer on board. When and how he had become parted from his much-loved  Minke  is yet to be determined. The investigations of the UK coastguard and the Devon and Cornwall Police continue.”

“In the meantime the Jester Challenge community holds firm and sends its full support to Duncan’s nearest and dearest.”

- Additional reporting by Jamie Mc Carron. 

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Practical Boat Owner

• Digital edition

Jester Challenge folkboat Minke is found – but sailor Duncan Lougee is missing

• Laura Hodgetts
• June 29, 2023

A 25ft yacht which disappeared whilst sailing from the UK's south coast to Ireland as part of the Jester Baltimore Challenge fleet has been found, but solo skipper Duncan Lougee was not aboard.

The missing Jester Challenger folkboat Minke has been located in UK waters, 70 miles north west of Trevose Head, Cornwall, but single-handed yachtsman Duncan Lougee was not on board.

It follows an appeal for sightings of Duncan when Minke did not arrive in Ireland on 22 June as expected, having departed from Plymouth, Devon on 18 June.

All other Jester Challengers who set sail from Plymouth and Pwllheli, Wales, have arrived at Baltimore in Ireland or retired to another port of their choice.

A spokesperson for the Irish Coast Guard said: “I can confirm the yacht has been found, but the captain wasn’t.”

Yesterday afternoon, MRCC Dublin was advised of a possible sighting of Minke approximately 75 miles south east of Ballycotton, County Cork. The Waterford based Coast Guard helicopter R117, which was conducting a search in the vicinity, was immediately tasked to the scene.

A crew member from R117 boarded the vessel and conducted a visual check. Unfortunately the missing skipper was not onboard. R117 then departed the scene, as the vessel was positioned in the UK search and rescue region.

‘Intense anguish’

A spokesperson for the Jester community said: “After five days of intense search of the Celtic Sea and its periphery by the UK and Irish coastguards, and after five days of intense anguish for Duncan Lougee’s family and friends, Minke was finally located yesterday afternoon. “She was drifting at a point 75 miles south-east of Ballycotton on the County Cork coast, at a mid-point of the Celtic Sea that in fact put her within the UK jurisdiction. After an initial investigation by a helicopter from the Irish coastguard, the UK authorities took over, sending a helicopter and a lifeboat to retrieve Minke . “Duncan, tragically, was no longer on board. When and how he had become parted from his much-loved Minke is yet to be determined. The investigations of the UK coastguard and the Devon and Cornwall Police continue. In the meantime the Jester Challenge community holds firm and sends its full support to Duncan’s nearest and dearest.”

Extensive searches for Minke involved Falmouth Maritime Coastguard Agency and the Irish Coastguard, including a fixed wing search of the area between the Scillies and Baltimore.

Everyone involved was perplexed by the absence of any sign of Minke’s position, as Duncan was carrying both an Emergency Position-Indicating Beacon (EPIRB) and a personal locator beacon (PLB), neither of which were activated.

Conditions in the Celtic Sea have generally been benign throughout the last week, further contributed to the puzzle.

Spokesman for the challenge, Roger Taylor said previously: “This is a particularly difficult time for Duncan’s partner, who is showing great fortitude during the wait for some firm news and the thoughts of all the Jester Challengers, past and present, are with her.” He added: “The Jester Challenge has a large community of followers with 178 skippers having participated in challenges. The whole community is shocked and numbed by the disappearance of such an experienced fellow-sailor.”

Duncan Lougee’s folkboat Minke. Source: HM Coastguard Crosby

Article continues below…

Jester Challenge: One sailor’s preparations for a solo adventure

Two-time solo Atlantic racer Basil Panakis shows PBO’s Ben Meakins how he prepared his 25ft yacht to face the Jester…

Towing under sail for 232 miles: Impressive seamanship in the Jester Azores Challenge

"Some 400 miles from the finishing line, the Varne Folkboat Minke lost her rudder" – John Apps reports on impressive feats…

What is the Jester Challenge?

The Jester Challenge is an opportunity for skippers to test their boats and their seagoing mettle in a supportive and non-competitive environment. It is not a race in any way, shape or form.

Every two years a group of singlehanded sailors heads for Plymouth to sail across the Atlantic . The Challenge in 2024 will see them head off to the Azores and 2026 will likely see them making a full Atlantic crossing to Newport, Rhode Island.

In the intervening odd years there is a less challenging passage to Baltimore in Ireland.

Skippers can make stopovers in other ports or harbours if they so desire, and there is no stigma attached to retiring from the event. Each sailor takes full responsibility for him or herself, their boat and the equipment they carry.

There is no entry fees and virtually no rules, although there are guidelines.

This year’s 250-mile Jester Baltimore Challenge saw a total of 43 yachts take part, the main fleet from Plymouth and another 14 from a simultaneous start in Pwllheli, Wales – the biggest Jester fleet of all time.

PBO’s Jake Kavanagh had a long interview with Duncan before he left, and said “both man and machine were in top shape”.

Sailing community appeal

In a Facebook post appealing for sightings, Duncan is described as “6ft 1in, white male with glasses, late 60’s. Probably wearing Musto oilskins with waterproof Dubarry boots. Fit healthy individual.”

The last sighting of Minke was near Helford River 1400 Monday 19 June 2023.

Minke is a 25ft fibreglass folkboat with a white hull and white sails. Her sail number is FB597.

Duncan was expected to arrive in Baltimore, Ireland on 22 June, or 23 June at the latest.

Fiona Gordon-Clarke said ‘on behalf of the family’: “We are just desperate for any information however small. “Duncan is an experienced yacht broker, boat builder and sailor with many miles of sailing including single handed crossing Atlantic, 3 x trips from Plymouth to Azores and back. “He has even done this trip to Baltimore in Ireland before.”

‘No new searches planned’

In a statement, the Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed that the missing yacht Minke by the Irish Coast Guard, around 70 miles northwest of Trevose Head, Cornwall, stating: “It appears that no one was on the vessel and therefore the boats skipper, 70-year-old Duncan Lougee from Colchester, Essex, remains a missing person.”

Detective Inspector Daniel Massey said: “Yacht Minke has been brought to shore and is currently docked in Padstow Harbour. We continue to liaise with partners including the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Marine Accident Investigation Branch, and the Coroner’s Office in relation this matter. “Whilst Mr Lougee remains officially a missing person, responsibility of searches in open water sits with the Coastguard. However, yacht Minke has been missing since it left Plymouth on Sunday 18 June, and initial enquires appear to show no fresh entries in the ships journal for at least nine days. “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.”

You can find the latest updates on the Jester Challenge blog

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Search called off for missing Essex sailor after yacht found with no-one aboard

The yaught Minke, on which Mr Lougee was sailing, went missing off the Cornish coast

• 18:16, 30 JUN 2023

The Coastguard's search for a missing yachtsman from Essex off the coast of Cornwall has been called off nine days after he went missing. The yacht Minke, sailed solo by Duncan Lougee, from Colchester, was found 70 miles northwest of Trevose Head, Cornwall but with no one aboard.

Mr Lougee, 70, who is now feared lost at sea, left Plymouth in the 26ft yacht at midday on June 18 and was expected to arrive in Baltimore, Ireland, on June 22 as part of the single-handed Jester Challenge, with his plan to sail the route via the Isles of Scilly.

But there was no communication from Minke since its departure which sparked a major search. In a major development since, the Minke was located by Irish Coastguard 70 miles from the coast but with no one found aboard, our sister publication CornwallLive reports .

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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.”

Devon and Cornwall Police said that while they continue to liaise with partners and that the 70-year-old remains a missing person, there are currently no new searches planned by Coastguard. The family of Mr Lougee have been informed of this by police and have asked for privacy

Detective Inspector Daniel Massey said: “Yacht Minke has been brought to shore and is currently docked in Padstow Harbour. We continue to liaise with partners including The Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Marine Accident Investigation Branch, and The Coroner’s Office in relation to this matter.

“Whilst Mr Lougee remains officially a missing person, the responsibility of searches in open water sits with the Coastguard. However, yacht Minke has been missing since it left Plymouth on Sunday, June 18, and initial inquiries appear to show no fresh entries in the ships journal for at least nine days.

“Therefore, due to the potentially vast and prohibitive area of search at sea, at this time there are currently no new searches planned by Coastguard. 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.”

Mr Lougee is a yacht broker, boat builder and experienced sailor. He has previously solo navigated crossing the Atlantic in three trips from Plymouth to Azores and back. He has also done the same trip to Baltimore before, the Mirror reports.

• Most Recent

Woman found unconscious aboard yacht off Cornwall

A separate missing person was found after a two-hour search left rescuers 'fearing the worst'

• 12:37, 2 SEP 2022
• Updated 12:40, 2 SEP 2022

A woman was found unconscious aboard an 11-metre yacht off the coast of West Cornwall yesterday evening (September 1). It is unclear how she came to harm, but the woman was breathing at the time.

The Penlee Lifeboat crew shared details of the incident which was one in a busy evening of callouts for them. They also located a missing person after a two-hour search later that evening.

The first task came at 8.27pm when the Falmouth Coastguard Operations Centre called them to a female on board a 11-metre yacht. She was unconscious but breathing and needed immediate assistance.

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Under the command of Coxswain Patch Harvey, the Penlee all-weather lifeboat ‘Ivan Ellen’ launched within six minutes and proceeded to the yacht. Once on scene, two crew members were put on board the yacht and assessed the casualty after several minutes.

Penlee Lifeboat said: "She was transferred onto a stretcher, given oxygen and transferred to the lifeboat, together with the yacht's skipper. While this was happening, Falmouth Coastguard requested an ambulance and the Penzance Coastguard Rescue Team to meet the lifeboat at Newlyn.

"The Ivan Ellen moored alongside the pontoon where the casualty was carried off the lifeboat by the Penzance Coastguard Rescue Team. She was then transferred to the care of awaiting paramedics from South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust ."

After the casualty transfer, the Ivan Ellen lifeboat relaunched and proceeded back to the yacht which had been left unmanned. Two of the volunteer crew jumped on board and retrieved the anchor, tied the yacht alongside the lifeboat and towed it to a pontoon berth in Newlyn Harbour.

At 10.00pm the lifeboat was back on the pontoon, ready for her next service after a wash down and clean up. Later, at 11.54pm the crew pagers sounded again. This time both lifeboats, the ‘Ivan Ellen’ and ‘Mollie and Ivor Dent’ were tasked to search for a missing person thought to be in the area between Penlee Point and Spaniard Point near Mousehole.

Using searchlights and a night vision camera, both lifeboats searched the shoreline, whilst Penzance Coastguard Rescue Team searched on the shore along footpaths and the harbour area. Devon and Cornwall Police also helped to search the area using a drone.

After two long hours of searching, with everyone fearing the worst, the casualty was located inland. Rescue 924 Search and Rescue Helicopter, which had also been tasked, landed in Paul Cricket Club field to give medical assistance. Both Penlee Lifeboats returned to Newlyn and made ready for service after a busy few hours at 02.30am.

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Missing Yachtswoman: Boat Found Off Cornwall

A yacht, believed to belong to Ona Unwin, is discovered by teams searching for the 65-year-old, who was last seen on Saturday.

Monday 15 October 2012 16:44, UK

Rescue crews searching for a woman and her yacht have found the wreckage of a vessel off the Cornish coast.

Air and sea search teams made the discovery, believed to be Ona Unwin's 31ft yacht Seagair, near Sennen Cove.

Devon and Cornwall Police said there is no evidence of a body on board the stricken vessel.

Ms Unwin, also known by her middle name of Mary, was the only person on the boat when she left Mousehole in Cornwall on Saturday evening.

Police were with Ms Unwin's family when the boat was found.

The 65-year-old had been due to arrive at Bideford in Devon on Sunday night, but relatives became worried when she failed to show up.

A Falmouth Coastguard spokesman said: "At around 12.30pm (on Monday), rescue crews discovered the wreckage of a vessel around Sennen Cove.

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"It will be brought ashore later to see whether it can be identified."

A police spokesman said: "The wreckage of a vessel has been found, and it is believed to be the Seagair. However, investigations are ongoing."

Ms Unwin bought the 31ft vessel from Falmouth Yacht Brokers on Thursday.

Proprietor Jerry Hobkirk said: "The weather was treacherous this weekend, even for some of the more experienced sailors.

"I was amazed when I found out that she had set sail. If I had known, we would have stopped her.

"There were strong winds and rough seas on a piece of coast that has very few escape routes. If you get into difficulties there aren't very many ports to play your 'get out of jail' card with."

Falmouth Coastguard said neither Ms Unwin nor her yacht have been seen since the alarm was raised.

Three RNLI lifeboats from Penlee, Sennen Cove and St Ives were involved the search for the missing yacht.

Fears for missing sailor as yacht found drifting crewless off Cork coast

Uk registered ‘minke’ left plymouth on june 18th and was due in baltimore on june 22nd.

The UK registered yacht Minke left Plymouth on June 18th and was due in Baltimore in Co Cork on June 22nd. Photograph: Jester Challenge/Wordpress

The Irish Coast Guard has located a British yacht missing for a week off the Cork coast but has found no trace of its lone crew member, who it is feared may have fallen overboard and been lost at sea.

The UK registered yacht Minke left Plymouth on June 18th to take part in the Jester Challenge, which involved 43 vessels heading for Baltimore in west Cork in a non-racing 250 nautical mile voyage.

The Minke was skippered and crewed by Duncan Lougee, an experienced yachtsman, and was due to arrive in Baltimore on June 22nd. A search operation was launched when the yacht failed to arrive.

The Minke, like the other boats participating in the challenge, should have taken a route via the Isles of Scilly and Mr Lougee was last seen near the Helford River estuary in Cornwall at 2pm on June 19th.

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The Irish Coast Guard, which had been liaising with HM Coastguard based at Falmouth, Englang, received a report on Thursday afternoon of a boat matching the description of the Minke off east Cork.

The Waterford-based Irish Coast Guard Sikorski helicopter Rescue 117 was tasked to investigate. Shortly after 4.30pm it located the yacht 75 nautical miles southeast of Ballycotton.

A winchman was lowered on to the eight metre yacht and he reported there was no trace of anyone on board, prompting fears for Mr Lougee’s safety.

The Irish Coast Guard is liaising with HM Coast Guard as the vessel is in the British search and rescue zone and efforts are currently underway to secure the vessel and bring her under tow to land.

Mr Lougee, who was in his late 60s and from Dedham, Essex, is described as “an experienced sailor having navigated the Atlantic three times solo, from Plymouth to Azores and back”.

A yacht broker and boat builder, he had also made the trip from Devon to Baltimore previously. He took part in the Jester Challenge in 2010, sailing solo from Plymouth to Newport, Rhode Island.

The Minke was reportedly equipped with an EPIRB (Emergency Position-Indicating Beacon) and a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon), but neither device had been activated.

Barry Roche

Barry Roche is Southern Correspondent of The Irish Times

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Fisherman fined thousands of pounds for illegally harvesting Cornish clams

• West Country
• HM Coastguard
• Friday 30 June 2023 at 6:48pm

Video report by Charlotte Gay

A group of fishermen have been fined thousands of pounds for using illegal electric currents to harvest tonnes of clams off the Cornish coast.

Enforcement officers had been tracking the organised group across multiple vessels since 2018, boarding boats to find crews repeatedly denying they were doing anything illegal -until eventually they all pleaded guilty in court.

Daniel Turner, from Kent , and his associates gathered large numbers of  razor clams , selling them to Scottish shellfish merchants who supplied traders in China and Hong Kong.

The Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) has spent the last five years on a "long and complex" investigation into Daniel Turner Marine and Forestry Ltd.

The 41-year-old criminal from Wittersham worked with fishermen from St Buryan,  Bodmin , Paul, Scotland, Kent and Dorset, across five vessels off the Cornish coast.

One of the boats was bought and used by the then serving  Cornwall  IFCA member, David Thomasson.

With initial fines and costs of over £28,750, the sentence of the main defendant will come in September.

Simon Cadman, Principal Enforcement Officer from Cornwall IFCA told ITV West Country: "We witnessed bags of razor clams being lifted up from the seabed sometimes at intervals of around about every seven minutes.

"It's possible that two tonnes from a nights work would be worth £20,000.

"They were well rehearsed in how they disguised what they had been doing - when we went aboard quite often the electrical generators were hidden in the boats, under the deck, in spaces perhaps even underneath boards that were screwed down so very difficult to find."

Ben Griffiths, a recreational clam fisher, said: "They're wiping out a whole flock of them.

"When you're doing one or two there's going to be more, it's just the way they're doing it unfortunately there are going to be ramifications from that for the recreational forager."

How does electro-fishing work?

Electro-fishing for razor clams uses generators, connected by cable to electrodes towed behind the boat, to send an electrical current to the seabed.

The current causes the razor clams to pop out of their burrows and a diver following the vessel can then gather the animals by hand in large numbers.

This way of fishing is more efficient than hand-gathering alone, but it can deplete the razor clam population of an area very quickly.

Electro-fishing is banned in European and UK waters, under EU legislation which has been adopted by the UK.

Razor clams landed in bulk were a valuable food commodity, with many exported to East Asia where there was demand for the product.

The first sale price for whole razor clams was generally between £6 and £10 per kilo, so regular fishing trips with landings ranging from few hundred kilos to a couple of tonnes made the illegal enterprise very profitable.

IFCA try to catch Turner red-handed

The vessels used by Mr Turner were observed, boarded and inspected on numerous occasions from the summer of 2018 through to January 2020.

IFCA officers would find razor clams aboard the vessels at sea, but whenever they approached them, Turner and his men quickly disconnected the electrodes and dropped them on the seabed.

Officers on the shore had to use video and infra-red cameras to record evidence of hot electricity generators and the use of an electrical array.

When the shore-based observations were made at the same time as officers approached an electro-fishing boat, they could see how the array was disconnected.

When the IFCA officers boarded Turner's vessels, he and his crew spun well-rehearsed lies explaining their fishing and the quantities of razor clams retained on board.

But, in January 2020, three people on a black rigid inflatable boat (RIB) belonging to Turner were electro-fishing in Falmouth Bay.

IFCA officers saw the boat, approached it and hopped aboard. The crew had already cast off the electrical array, but using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), the officers found the array and seized it.

Court proceedings were already underway against Turner and others, but one crewman, David Ellis, 46, from Millbrook, Cornwall, was prosecuted separately at Plymouth District Magistrates Court on 9 March 2022.

He pleaded guilty, received an 18 month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £600 costs.

As with many of the people who worked on Turner’s vessels, he had lied to officers about his identity and address.

A private investigator helped officers trace him and others, so that a court summons could be successfully served.

Turner and others eventually plead guilty in court

After more than three years of court proceedings, on 18 May 2023 Turner and his company finally pleaded guilty to the charges against him.

He joined nine other defendants who over recent months had changed their initial not guilty pleas, to guilty pleas.

Another suspect, who had to be dealt with separately, immediately pleaded guilty in court in 2021.

On 26 June 2023 at Truro Crown Court, Judge Carr handed down sentences to the majority of defendants.

Two sentences for Turner and his company have been delayed until September, allowing time for their financial details to be presented to the court for the potential confiscation of assets gained by criminality.

The defendants sentenced on the 26 June 2023 were:

Luke Anderson, 44, of St Margaret's at Cliffe, Kent: Total fines of £3,000, plus costs of £3,000

Marc Drew, 50, of Mousehole, Cornwall: Fine £3,500 and costs of £2,000

Graeme Etheridge, 61, of Paul, Cornwall: Fines of £3,750 and costs of £2,500

David Thomasson, 52 of Bodmin, Cornwall: Fines of £5,500 and costs of £2,500

Ross Waters, 47, of St Buryan, Cornwall Fine: £1,000 and costs of £2,000

A further defendant, Jake Richardson, 26, of Bedminster, Dorset was ordered to attend court for sentencing but did not attend and so an arrest warrant for him has been issued.

Steven Corcoran, 46, of Motherwell, Scotland and Simon Tester, 52, of Canterbury, Kent, previously pleaded guilty and received conditional discharges.

The Cornwall IFCA said the proceedings against Turner and his associates were "by far the largest and most complex investigation" it had ever undertaken.

Incredibly, the day before a court appearance for fishing from one of Mr Turner's vessels, David Thomasson - an IFCA member - was discovered electro-fishing again with another of the defendants who had set up their own company.

Mr Thomasson was an MMO-appointed member of the Committee that oversees Cornwall IFCA.

He was immediately suspended from the authority and is no longer a serving member.

The Cornwall IFCA also found offences in respect of fishing vessel licenses, food hygiene regulations, crew and vessel safety regulations and the transfer of criminal property.

It prosecuted these additional offences at the same time as the fishing offences.

The IFCA said that Turner took a belligerent attitude towards its officers who had been involved in the investigations which deprived him of some of his property.

They experienced goading and intimidatory behaviour which led to the police being called.

The IFCA added that Turner's behaviour was the worst they had ever experienced.

The full list of counts on the indictments were as follows:

Transferring criminal property, contrary to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Fishing using electrical current, contrary to Council Regulation (EC) No.850/98 and Council Regulation (EU) No.2019/1241.

Gathering bivalve molluscs, contrary to Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013.

Carrying and deploying electrical equipment, contrary to a Scottish fishing licence condition.

Fishing for razor clams, contrary to a Scottish fishing licence condition.

Failing to submit FISH1 landing declaration, contrary to a Scottish fishing licence condition.

Failing to comply with a relevant fishing vessel code of practice, contrary to the Fishing Vessel (Code of Practice) Regulations 2017.

Employing a person who went to sea without completing a required training course, contrary to the Fishing Vessel (Safety Training) Regulations 1989.

Employing a person who went to sea as a skipper without completing a required training course, contrary to the Fishing Vessel (Safety Training) Regulations 1989.

Aiding and abetting a company to use an unlicensed fishing vessel, contrary to the Accessories and Abettors Act 1861.

Failing to comply with a requirement to provide a name and address, contrary to the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.

Simon Cadman, Cornwall IFCA’s Principal Enforcement Officer said: "Following five years of long and complex investigations and legal proceedings, it is extremely pleasing that our clear and extensive evidence of illegal fishing and other related offences has resulted in court convictions for everyone we had prosecuted.

"This can be put down to the tenacity of many Cornwall IFCA officers who were involved in the investigations, together with assistance from a number of other authorities and individuals for which the authority is very grateful.

"I feel certain that if Cornwall IFCA had not pursued its concentrated investigations in the way that it did, electro-fishing would have become a serious threat to inshore shellfish fisheries here and elsewhere in England.

"The sentencing this month of the people who worked aboard Turner’s vessels is a welcome step in concluding the matters but there is still the sentencing for Turner and his company expected in September.

"I hope that having demonstrated our ability to conduct a complex and high level of investigation, plus our determination to ensure the delivery of appropriate punishments for deliberate illegal fishing, this will deter anyone else who may consider operating in such a way within the Cornwall IFCA district."

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Missing Ona Mary Unwin: Wreckage of Millionaire's Yacht Found off Cornwall Coast

Rescue teams searching for a missing woman and her yacht have uncovered a wreckage believed to belong to the 65-year-old millionaire.

Ona Mary Unwin has been missing since she set sail from the fishing port of Mousehole in Cornwall towards her home in north Devon on 13 October.

The wreckage was found at Sennen Cove, off the north Cornwall coast during an air and sea search.

Dorset and Cornwall Police confirmed they believe the boat to be Unwin's vessel Seagair but that there was no body on board the wreckage.

A police spokesman said: "The wreckage of a vessel has been found, and it is believed to be the Seagair. However, investigations are ongoing."

Unwin had paid for the £32,000 yacht just two days before she went missing. Her family raised the alarm after she failed to appear at her home Bideford.

It is reported Unwin ignored warnings about weather conditions and advice she should take a refresher's course before embarking on her journey. She was the sole person onboard the yacht when she began her 130-mile journey back home.

Falmouth Yacht Brokers proprietor Jerry Hobkirk said: "The weather was treacherous this weekend, even for some of the more experienced sailors.

"I simply cannot understand what she was thinking when she left the harbour (in Mousehole), and against the advice of the sailing school. She seemed determined to fail.

"I was amazed when I found out that she had set sail. If I had known, we would have stopped her."

Steve Huxley, Search and Rescue Communications Manager at Falmouth Coastguard, said she "hadn't been sailing for a few years".

A Falmouth Coastguard spokesman added: "At around 12.30pm (on Monday), rescue crews discovered the wreckage of a vessel around Sennen Cove.

"It will be brought ashore later to see whether it can be identified."

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Missing yachtswoman in South west.

• Thread starter FistralG
• Start date 15 Oct 2012
• 15 Oct 2012

Active member

Missing yacht sparks Cornwall search 15 October 2012 Last updated at 07:22 An air and sea search has been launched off the north Cornwall coast for a 65-year-old yachtswoman. There has been no contact from the skipper since she left Mousehole in Cornwall on Saturday, heading for her home town of Bideford in north Devon. The unnamed woman bought the 31ft Seagair in Falmouth on Friday and had a "few hours refresher course" said coastguards. She then set sail "against advice" round Land's End for Bideford. Lifeboats from Penlee, Sennen and St Ives and helicopters from RNAS Culdrose and RMB Chivenor have joined the search. Steve Huxley, search and rescue manager at Falmouth Coastguard, said: "The woman departed Mousehole on Saturday evening onboard her newly-purchased vessel. "We understand that she was heading for Bideford. We have been unable to find her and are very concerned for her safety." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-19944635  

Robert Wilson

Well-known member.

FistralG said: Missing yacht sparks Cornwall search 15 October 2012 Last updated at 07:22 An air and sea search has been launched off the north Cornwall coast for a 65-year-old yachtswoman. There has been no contact from the skipper since she left Mousehole in Cornwall on Saturday, heading for her home town of Bideford in north Devon. The unnamed woman bought the 31ft Seagair in Falmouth on Friday and had a "few hours refresher course" said coastguards. She then set sail "against advice" round Land's End for Bideford . Lifeboats from Penlee, Sennen and St Ives and helicopters from RNAS Culdrose and RMB Chivenor have joined the search. Steve Huxley, search and rescue manager at Falmouth Coastguard, said: "The woman departed Mousehole on Saturday evening onboard her newly-purchased vessel. "We understand that she was heading for Bideford. We have been unable to find her and are very concerned for her safety." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-19944635 Click to expand...

Seems this is the missing boat. http://www.falmouthyachtbrokers.co.uk/Moody-31-MK1.aspx  

Just media again! 'refresher course' hopefully meant she went out with the owner/broker just to show her the ropes, all boats systems are different. Weather was good and Landsend is no hassle in good weather.Hopefully she just diverted somewhere and forgor to report safe arrival.  

Hope she is OK, the weather looked OK but is forecast to get rough today.  

single said: Just media again! 'refresher course' hopefully meant she went out with the owner/broker just to show her the ropes, all boats systems are different. Weather was good and Landsend is no hassle in good weather.Hopefully she just diverted somewhere and forgor to report safe arrival. Click to expand...

maby said: Of course we hope so, but there really are idiots out there you know! Seems unwise to me for even an experienced sailor to set off single handed on that sort of passage within a few hours of taking ownership of the boat. I would like to have at least one experienced companion till I had time to gain some confidence in the boat. Click to expand...

dylanwinter

the boat looks in good nick the boat looks to be in good nick - judging from the brokers images engine 2003 let us hope the lady is found in good health  

0940 Cg still issuing a Mayday relay. There are no nice places to 'pull in' on that passage until Padstow. Saturday pm the weather in Mounts bay was brisk westerly, sunday morning was light NW. If it was me I would have got well clear of the end and headed north given the forecast, plenty of traffic in the area, it doesn't look good.  

I find it very difficult to believe that anything really can be wrong. Suspect she just has the VHF off. I suppose the other possibilities are going OB or a medical issue.  

Minn said: I find it very difficult to believe that anything can be wrong. Click to expand...

http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/mcga07-ho...-releases.htm?id=0D741B56F6FFCEEF&m=10&y=2012  

maby said: You can easily get into trouble on a journey of just a few miles - the sea is not a forgiving place. If she's at sea, she should be monitoring channel 16 and hearing the coastguard calls - her passage would not have taken her outside VHF range. Actually, she should have been in mobile phone range a lot of the time - I assume that her family have tried to call her. You can easily be out of communications for days on a blue water crossing but these days on a coastal hop it should not be hard to contact you unless you are in trouble. Click to expand...

maby said: Actually, she should have been in mobile phone range a lot of the time - I assume that her family have tried to call her. Click to expand...

snowleopard

RupertW said: Hmm..many of us don't use the VHF at all, except perhaps for occasionally calling a marina, and even then mobiles are more likely to be used. .... Click to expand...

bitbaltic said: The Daily Mail is saying that she is not answering her phone. Where it got that, though, seems unclear, and the Mail being the Mail.... anyways. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2217883/Rescue-teams-scrambled-search-lone-yachtswoman.html Click to expand...

It sounds as if her passage plan was probably to arrive at Bideford area in the light and that would seem to me to have been a sensible decision and an indicator that she knew what she was doing. However the west end of the Bristol Channel is a big lonely place. Hopefully she's tucked up somewhere safe with a flat phone battery and a bust VHF. The boat used to be moored along the pontoon from me and looked to be in fairly good order (even though I rarely saw it used.)  

maby said: If you have a working VHF, I think it's irresponsible to not have it switched on. Click to expand...

maby said: Well, on the assumption that she has a mobile, the fact that the coastguard are searching would seem to be a fairly good indicator that she is not answering - I would hope that they would automatically dial her number before launching a helicopter! Click to expand...

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