A small boat found floating
upturned and empty off the west coast of Ireland was tonight
confirmed to be the craft of American Dr Nenad Belic, 62, who left
Cape Cod, Massachusetts six months ago on an attempted lone
transatlantic voyage.
It was spotted this afternoon by a fishing vessel less than seven
miles from Kilkee, Co Clare.
The Coast Guard said a diving inspection of the overturned boat,
the LUN, had established there was no body on board. Arrangements
were under way to tow the craft into Kilkee.
The LUN has been officially posted missing since September 30
when an electronic positionindicating beacon was activated 215
nautical miles west of Castletownbere, Co Cork, in storm force 10
conditions.
An extensive search of the area by Irish and British coastguards,
the Irish Air Corps and the RAF - as well as private aircraft
engaged by Dr Belic's family - failed to find any trace of the small
boat.
The Belic family chartered two spotter planes to scour hundreds
of square miles off the south-west coast early last month, but it
was subsequently called off.
Dr Belic, a retired cardiologist, set off on his trip on May 11.
