British pensioner missing after yacht ‘eviscerated’ in horror UK storm

A pensioner is currently missing after his “eviscerated” yacht was discovered in the Atlantic Ocean following a .

The French Air Force searched for the unidentified 73-year-old British sailor on the country’s southwest coast after he set off his distress beacon.

His vessel, the Tiger PA, was discovered, and divers were tasked with finding the man. However, they found the liferaft empty, and the search was called off on Sunday morning, according to the Atlantic Maritime Prefecture.

This came after French authorities received an alert on Friday evening as the yacht was not responding to radio messages. Vesselfinder recorded a yacht of the same name in Weymouth, Dorset, last week.

The Government body said the yacht was found in the Bay of Biscay, and a Portuguese cargo ship “managed to make radio contact after several attempts”.

It added: “Alone on board, a 73-year-old man of British nationality indicated that he was safe and continuing on his way.”

The next day at about 3pm, the Tiger PA’s distress beacon went off. Just over two hours later, .

French rolling news channel BFM reported off the west coast on Sunday following Storm Eowyn just days before.

The Atlantic Maritime Prefecture had warned about the sea’s danger “in the winter period with many depressions”.

Storm Herminia prompted the UK to issue for wind and heavy rainfall, which are predicted to bring travel disruptions, large waves, and flying debris.

The storm first hit parts of Spain and France this weekend and is expected to move eastwards across the UK, impacting South West England first.

Chief Meteorologist Jason Kelly said: “While Sunday’s system doesn’t have the same strength as Eowyn, it will hamper some recovery efforts and bring further wind and rain, with the possibility of some flooding in places.

“Ten to 20mm of r in central and southern England, much of Wales and Northern Ireland, with 30 to 50mm possible over high ground.”