The U.S. Coast Guard is looking for a pair who went lacking after setting sail for the Azores, Portuguese islands within the North Atlantic, officers mentioned.
Yanni Nikopoulos and Dale Jones, each 65-year-olds from Virginia Seaside, Virginia, reported hitting tough climate about 460 miles east of the Virginia Coast on June 13, mentioned Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Connie Terrell.
They set sail from Hampton, Virginia, June 8, with plans to achieve the Azores after which sail on to Greece, she mentioned. Jones’ daughter reported Friday the pair had been incommunicado for days, the Coast Guard mentioned in a press release Tuesday. The daughter declined to remark.
Terrell mentioned a Coast Guard HC-130J airplane performed search and rescue flights over the world the place the couple reported tough climate passed off Monday and Tuesday, however no proof of them or the boat was discovered.
According to Jones’ Facebook page, the couple had been refreshing the picket monohull sailboat on the Fort Monroe marina in Hampton earlier than setting sail. The identify on the boat’s stern is Kyklades, the Greek phrase used to explain circle of islands on the coronary heart of the civilization in the course of the Bronze Age.
On Might 16, Jones posted about unsettled climate on the marina, writing, “It got here out of nowhere! The wind was so robust it leaned the boat to port aspect. I suppose it is somewhat style of what to anticipate once in a while.”
On the identical day, in what gave the impression to be her newest submit concerning the vessel, Jones celebrated finishing set up of a security internet meant to guard her canine. “I now not have to fret about Buddy falling overboard,” she mentioned.
Her web page first states her standing of being in a relationship with Nikopoulos on July 23, 2021.
The couple was married or soon-to-be wed, in accordance with the social media web page. A bon voyage get together thrown by Jones’ daughters was additionally billed as a celebration of Jones’ retirement, sixty fifth birthday, and “wedding ceremony,” and it included a “MR. & MRS.” ornament, in accordance with photographs posted Might 29.
Terrell of the Coast Guard mentioned Jones’ daughter reported the pair was turning again to move dwelling after hitting that climate June 13.
“They have been heading towards the Azores and weren’t there but,” she mentioned.
Throughout Tuesday morning’s flight over the Atlantic, “Sadly they weren’t capable of make contact with that vessel,” Terrell mentioned.
An pressing marine radio broadcast in that space of the ocean asks boaters to report any proof of the lacking couple or vessel, she mentioned.
The Fifth Coast Guard District Command Heart is in control of the search.
“In conditions like this, the place there are such a lot of unknowns, our coordination efforts must solid a large and intentional internet,” Coast Guard Chief Brian Gainey mentioned in a Tuesday assertion.
Gainey mentioned the search includes makes an attempt to trace the pair’s cellphones in addition to the boat’s radio.
“It’s a whole lot of detective work,” he mentioned, “however it’s all in service to discovering these two people and bringing them dwelling to their households.”
Cristian Santana contributed.
