Spain Gran Canaria - James Nunan, British citizen aged 34, missing from his boat at sea during round the world voyage. Dog still on board

[MelmothTheLost]

Desperate search to find British builder, 34, on round-the-world sailing trip after his boat was found off Gran Canaria with just his dog onboard​

A British man has been reported missing on a solo round-the-world sailing trip after his faithful dog was discovered alive on board his abandoned yacht drifting off the Canary Islands.

James Nunan, 34, from Reading, set off on his dream voyage in March with his miniature Jack Russell, Thumbelina, aboard a boat called Kehaar that he had bought in Slovenia.

But fears are growing for the adventurer after his yacht was found by coastguards 50 miles off Gran Canaria with no sign of its owner - though documents inside confirmed it belonged to him.

Desperate search to find Brit after boat was found off Gran Canaria

James Nunan, 34, from Reading, set off on his dream voyage in March with his miniature Jack Russell, Thumbelina, aboard a boat called Kehaar that he had bought in Slovenia.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[miss marble]

It says in the article that James's passport and backpack were stolen on the day he was last seen which obviously sounds significant.
I wonder how that was known as it doesn't give much details?
At least the poor dog was rescued unharmed, it must have been traumatised, I hope one of his family members take it on.

 

[starlightstarbright]

Also sounds very strange that the boat was found 50 miles off shore, yet his passport and backpack were stolen the day he was last seen. Presumably he was in port? It sounds like he was at a bar, then a kebab shop, then his stuff was stolen.

My assumption is that he had been drinking that evening, which could have made him vulnerable to harm from others, but also misadventure. We know how often people go missing near water after drinking and he was literally living on it.

If his boat was in port, you would think there would be cctv to determine if he made it back on the boat. Or if someone else did. It sounds like someone must have taken the boat out of port. I mean, it wouldn’t sail itself 50 miles off shore and I doubt it would drift that far in a short amount of time. I wonder if he made an error of judgment and tried to sail out while under the influence because he was concerned about his safety after the thefts, and got himself in trouble and went overboard. MOO

 

[MelmothTheLost]

It says in the article that James's passport and backpack were stolen on the day he was last seen which obviously sounds significant.
I wonder how that was known as it doesn't give much details?
At least the poor dog was rescued unharmed, it must have been traumatised, I hope one of his family members take it on.

It may be difficult and/or expensive to repatriate the dog once it has landed in Spain - even if the family can be bothered to do so. Following Brexit the UK is no longer part of the EU's animal free travel area so the faff and cost of arranging pet passports is much greater than it used to be. James may not have intended his dog to land anywhere in the EU and may therefore not have obtained a passport for it.

On the other hand, it must be feasible to bring the dog back since there are a number of very questionable charities in the UK whose entire purpose is to "rescue" and import street dogs of unknown background from places like Romania, Bosnia, Turkey and Cyprus into the country for adoption by well-meaning but often gullible individuals.

 

[StillDiggin]

U can’t read this article for free, but the headline is concerning enough to post.

British sailor, 34, missing off Gran Canaria was ‘too drunk to stand’

A witness says James Nunan was targeted by a thief outside a kebab shop in Spain before he vanished during a solo boat trip that began in March

www.thetimes.com

 

[miss marble]

Does sound like misadventure on the face of it. But am a bit confused about this part of the article:-

"The last time his bank card was used was later the same day at the Rico Doner Kebab shop in Las Palmas at 10.39pm. His passport was reported “lost or stolen” to the Irish consulate in Gran Canaria the following day."

The kebab shop was where the owner said he saw James drunk and unable to stand and where his rucksack was supposedly stolen, so you would think any accident would have befallen him later that night, but he then apparently reported his passport stolen the following day - although It's not clear exactly when or how this was reported?

 

[teeby]

I interpreted that as meaning that when he woke up the next day he reported his own passport lost/stolen.

The article is not paywalled for me -- it says his sister has heard rumors of an alert indicating someone on a boat needed urgent help, but no one's life is in danger. Doesn't give a date. She is trying to find locals to confirm this.

Timeline from the article:
August 18: Last contact with family. Last use of debit card. Seen too drunk to stand, saying that his backpack was missing.
August 19: Passport reported missing
August 22: Family contacts police, concerned by lack of contact
August 25: Boat is found with dog on board

 

[StillDiggin]

Canarian Weekly - Family of missing Brit arrive in Gran Canaria to continue desperate search

Relatives of 34-year-old sailor James Nunan plead for information after his boat was found adrift with only his dog onboard…

www.canarianweekly.com

 

[StillDiggin]

Family heartbroken as Irish passport holder missing for 36 days in Gran Canaria

James 'Jemsie' Nunan, 34, has been missing since August 18, while sailing near Gran Canaria, and his family are now urgently raising funds to support the ongoing search

www.dublinlive.ie

 

[StillDiggin]

Family of missing Irish sailor insist he was 'too fond of his mum' to disappear

James' Jemsie' Nunan, who was from Colchester in the UK but carried an Irish passport, was last seen on August 19 and was officially reported missing by his mum, Maura Norton, to Essex Police on August 22.

www.irishmirror.ie

 

[Cedars]

"The last time his bank card was used was later the same day at the Rico Doner Kebab shop in Las Palmas at 10.39pm. His passport was reported “lost or stolen” to the Irish consulate in Gran Canaria the following day." .....It's not clear exactly when or how this was reported?

IMO you can't phone or text the passport office, you have to go in person with a scan or photocopy of your passport, or other photo ID, to prove you are the passport owner....

Also, he would need to stay in Las Palmas to await a new passport, you can't travel around without a passport...he should also have reported the theft to local police in case the thief discards it.

JMO

 

[Kittypoo]

Family of missing Irish sailor insist he was 'too fond of his mum' to disappear

James' Jemsie' Nunan, who was from Colchester in the UK but carried an Irish passport, was last seen on August 19 and was officially reported missing by his mum, Maura Norton, to Essex Police on August 22.

www.irishmirror.ie

That’s strange the Daily Mail report earlier in the week stated James was from Reading UK not Colchester.
It sounds like he was a free spirit
IMO