The family of a Spaniard believed to have fallen overboard between Italy and Greece during a yacht crossing of the Ionian Sea has appealed to authorities to keep on searching for the missing man.
According to a Coast Guard statement, Greek authorities were notified Friday that a French-flagged sailing yacht was in need of assistance some 18 nautical miles off the southwestern port of Pylos in the Peloponnese.
The statement said patrol vessels and a fishing boat were deployed to the area, and found the yacht adrift with only a 67-year-old Spanish woman on board, who was in good health.
Spanish media said Juan Jose Mutilba Obregon, 66, had been on the vessel with his 67-year-old wife and fell overboard on Tuesday, a day after the couple set off from Sicily for the crossing to Pylos. Although she reportedly heard him call for help she was unable to stop the yacht or to contact authorities for assistance – apparently because her mobile phone had no reception.
Spanish reports said that she only regained mobile network access on Friday and alerted Spanish emergency authorities, who relayed the message to their Greek colleagues.
