British man found dead during charity row across Atlantic

Family tried to get help to reach Michael Holt for two days after he fell sick

Michael Holt, 54, began sailing on 24 January to row for two charities (Michael Holt Facebook)

A British man from North Wales has been found dead on his boat during a charity row across the Atlantic Ocean.

Michael Holt, 54, was confirmed dead on Sunday by his family, four days after they lost touch with him.

He began from Gran Canaria on 27 January and was already some 700 miles (1130km) into his goal to reach Barbados in the Caribbean with the aim to help two charities.

Holt, who had type 1 diabetes fell sick and a fishing vessel was directed to his location after the family lost touch with him.

The crew on the vessel found Holt dead in the cabin of his boat.

"We have been working tirelessly to get help to Michael over the past four days but have found it incredibly difficult to do so," his brother David Holt said on Facebook.

"Last night the fishing vessel Noruego accepted a tasking from Cape Verde Joint Rescue Coordination Centre and made directly for Michael’s coordinates.

"Very sadly, upon arrival, Michael was found dead inside his cabin."

Michael Holt, 54, suffere from type 1 diabetes (Michael Holt Facebook)

The statement said that the news came as a “huge shock” to the family even though they expected it to be the ultimate conclusion.

"Of course this was not the ultimate conclusion we were looking for, but I am somewhat comforted knowing he died doing something he absolutely wanted to do with a passion and managed to row in excess of 700 miles in the process. An achievement in itself,” he said.

Holt had expected to finish the challenge between 50-110 days and expected to row for over 16 hours a day, getting just four hours of sleep.

He sailed alone on his ship with no helicopter or boat assisting him while he was in touch with his family and a company for tracking his progress.

The family which had been posting updates of his progress expressed concern over him suffering from seasickness a week before his death and Holt suspected it was a"bad reaction to taking some antibiotics".

He then began rowing 300 miles south to the island Cape Verde instead to seek help.

His brother said he was "incredibly proud" of him for taking up a challenge that no one had taken with the medical condition he had.

"There’s probably a reason nobody with type 1 diabetes has ever rowed across the Atlantic ocean. But when Michael gets an idea in his head, that’s it. What he’s achieved is amazing."

He wanted to raise money for Mind and Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services.

The Foreign Office said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Cape Verde and are in contact with the local authorities.”