Missing Yorkshire yachtsman is found safe

Fears were raised after the man was two days overdue back in Scarborough having apparently left Germany on July 4.

The man, who sailing his 17ft yacht Equinox, activated a beacon around 8am this morning and is now on one of the North Sea standby vessels. He will be returning to shore on an RAF Sea King helicopter, which will be flying there from Leconfield.

Humber Coastguard watch manager Mike Green said: “We believe he is safe with no injuries and no illness, but that is yet to be confirmed.”

There were gales earlier on this week, but whether they affected the man’s journey is not yet known.

Mr Green said: “It is a happy ending to a protracted search which was brought about by the proper use of communications equipment.”

The man was found around 85 miles east of Spurn Point.

An air search began for the man yesterday morning and a general alert had gone out to the French, Belgian, Dutch Coastguards along with shipping and police had logged a missing person’s alert with Interpol. The passage from Germany normally takes four days.