The US Coast Guard is on the hunt for a Virginia couple who have not been heard from for more than a week after their sailboat was damaged by severe weather. Yanni Nikopoulos and Dale Jones, both 65, set sail for the Azores on June 8, but told Jones’ daughter five days later they had to turn around and drive back because damage to the boat.
We haven’t heard from them since, the Coast Guard said in a press release.
When the couple called Jones’ daughter on June 13, they were about 460 miles east of Virginia Beach, Va., the Coast Guard said.
Courtesy photo via US Coast Guard
On Friday, Jones’ daughter contacted the Coast Guard, saying she was concerned for their well-being, the Coast Guard said. Although no return date was set, she expected them to be back on Monday.
Search teams conducted two flights looking for the missing pair, the Coast Guard said.
Coast Guard Chief Brian Gainey said in a statement that they needed to cast a “wide and intentional net” in the search.
“We’re tracking cellphone and radio pings as we work with our counterparts in Bermuda to accurately determine the smartest search area for our crews,” Gainey said. “It’s a lot of detective work, but everything is being done to find these two individuals and bring them home to their families.”
Courtesy photo via US Coast Guard
