Sailor Robin Davie missing at sea after leaving France for Falmouth
- Published
Robin Davie has sailed around the world three times
Concerns are growing for an experienced sailor who has not been heard from after six days at sea.
Search and rescue efforts are under way to find Robin Davie, 67, who left port in France on Saturday on a 300-mile journey to Falmouth, Cornwall.
His brother reported him as overdue on Wednesday morning when there had been no contact.
Mr Davie has sailed solo around the world three times and is entered in the 2022 Golden Globe race.
The race organisers say they have "serious concern" and it is not thought he has an electronic tracking device or an emergency radio beacon for raising the alarm if he got into difficulty.
Yachting journalist Barry Pickthall, who has known Mr Davie for almost 30 years, said: "We're just completely flummoxed, because the weather has been so benign.
"We just don't understand what could have happened.
"It's one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, it's just really surprising no-one has spotted him. He's just disappeared."
Robin Davie was sailing 300 miles from the Vendée region of France to Cornwall
Mr Davie, from Falmouth, had travelled to Les Sables d'Olonne, in Vendée region of France, to fit a new mast and rigging.
He left at about 10:00 local time on Saturday and told his brother Rick Davie to let people know if he had not arrived at his home Falmouth by Tuesday.
Mr Davie is understood to have a VHF radio that could potentially make contact with passing ships.
Wind conditions have been light to mild, and continue to be so.
HM Coastguard confirmed it had "received a concern for welfare of a possibly overdue solo sailor, Robin Davie" on Wednesday.
It added: "Robin was reported to have left Les Sables-d'Olonne, France on Saturday 5 January.
"No distress alerts have been received, however Robin has not been in contact with this family. HM Coastguard has been issuing broadcasts to all shipping and will continue to support the French coastguard."
The French coastguard has been contacted for comment.