Missing ‘inexperienced’ sailor found dead in yacht off Jamaica after crossing Atlantic

Window cleaner Mark Brennan was attempting to sail solo around world

An aerial image captured by a Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard search and rescue plane of the Avrio yacht belonging to British sailor Mark Brennan, from South Shields, who was found dead on board on 27 January, 2020. (Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard)

A missing British man has been found dead on a yacht off Jamaica while attempting to sail solo around the world.

Window cleaner Mark Brennan’s decomposed body was found in the hull of his 30ft Avrio sailing boat after the vessel was spotted drifting 70 miles off the coast of Jamaica on Monday.

The 42-year-old “inexperienced sailor”, from South Shields, Tyne and Wear, travelled across the Atlantic to the Caribbean and was last seen alive as he left the island of Grenada on 6 December.

A fellow sailor from Manchester, who met him on the Caribbean island, alerted the International Boat Watch Network (IBWN) to his missing boat after growing concerned about him.

Mr Brennan’s yacht had dirty fuel, no radio or mobile network and had lost its dinghy while crossing the Atlantic, claimed Boat Watch, which described him as a “somewhat inexperienced sailor”.

A search and rescue team spotted the vessel adrift with its sails furled, or rolled up, and no signs of life on board on three occasions between 19 and 21 December, the organisation said.

Boat Watch tracked down Mr Brennan’s mother and brother in law, who then reported him missing to the Northumbria Police on 21 December.

The US Coast Guard alerted the Jamaican Coast Guard after spotting the boat adrift about 70 miles from Ocho Rios, on the north coast of Jamaica.

The Jamaican Coast Guard towed the vessel to Port Antonio harbour and Jamaican authorities are investigating.

Northumbria Police said the body had not been formally identified, but was believed to be that of a missing 42-year-old man.

A spokesperson for the force said: “We can confirm a 42-year-old from South Shields was reported missing on 21 December after he had set sail to the Caribbean.

“Enquiries have been ongoing to trace him, and we have since been made aware that authorities in Jamaica have recovered a body on a boat.

“A formal identification process is ongoing but it is suspected that the body is that of the South Shields man.

“The relevant authorities in Jamaica are carrying out enquiries to establish the cause of death and we will continue to support their investigation in conjunction with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

“The man’s family are being offered support by officers and they have requested that their privacy is respected at this time.”

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office added in a statement: “We are supporting the family of a British man reported as missing in the Caribbean, and are in contact with the Jamaican authorities.”