Search for missing Atlantic rower called off
A search by the family of an Atlantic rower missing off the west coast of Ireland has been called off with no sightings of the stricken vessel.
The family of 62-year-old American Nenad Belic chartered two spotter planes to hunt hundreds of square miles of sea for the sailor who activated a distress beacon more than a week ago.
The first wave of searches by coastguards on October 1 found the beacon 210 miles west of Bantry Bay but there was no sign of the boat or Mr Belic.
In a desperate effort to trace his father, Adrian Belic, 32, decided on a two-day effort, privately funded by his family.
They were hoping to have their father home for the birthday of his youngest daughter Maia, who will be 13 this Friday.
But this morning he said: ‘‘We have not found him but we want to alert everybody on the west coast, and those who are at sea in the area, to continue looking out for our father.
‘‘We have searched hundreds of square miles but there is no sign. The search area looks large, but when you see the size of the area he could be in it is overwhelming.
‘‘There is still hope. There has been no debris located and he was extremely well prepared. He has equipment to make fresh water from sea water, food and survival equipment to keep warm.
He said his brother Roko, 30, and sisters Dara, 17, and Maia, were still in shock, but hoping for a happy ending.
‘‘We will celebrate Maia’s 13th birthday at the weekend, I just wish dad could be here with us,’’ Adrian said.
Adrian spoke to his father just over nine days ago as a storm blew in, 400 miles off the west coast. He said his father was ready for the storm and had done everything in order to ride it out.
‘‘When we spoke my father was well, he was in good spirits but also looking forward to getting to shore. He was only a couple of weeks away. The survival instinct when you are so close would be much stronger. We think he is hanging on out there,’’ Adrian said.
He added: ‘‘We know that the currents in that area should take him towards land.’’
The retired cardiologist set out from Cape Cod in his vessel the Lun on May 11.
