French solo sailor missing off South Africa’s West Coast

French solo sailor Emmanuel Dailler (56) is missing off South Africa’s West Coast. He is aboard the Akela II, a mono hull white yacht, which left Hout Bay Yacht Club on 2 March destined for Martinique in the Caribbean.

It’s over a month later, and the NSRI say the yacht and sailor “may now be overdue”. The last known contact with Dailler was on the day he set off from Hout Bay.

NSRI rescue stations and its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) across the West Coast are keeping a lookout for the sailing vessel, in cooperation with MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre).

NSRI and MRCC are appealing to sea farers on the Atlantic ocean, islands across the Atlantic ocean, West Africa coastal Ports and Caribbean Ports, to keep a look-out and report any sightings or contact with Akela II.

“AKELA II only has marine VHF radio communications onboard. The yacht is plain white with no yacht name appearing on the hull,” said the NSRI. There is apparently another yacht coincidentally called Akela II that is currently in the Caribbean, but it is not related to the missing yacht with Dailler onboard.

Anyone with information, any sightings or contact with AKELA II, please contact:

• MRCC +279383300 mrcc.ct@samsa.org.za or
• NSRI EOC +27829947555 operations@searescue.org.za

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