Benoni sailor loses all at sea

Johannesburg - A sailor who was forced to abandon his yacht en route to the Caribbean says he has lost most of his worldly possessions, The Star reported on Friday.

"We are pretty broke. All our possessions were on that yacht," Michael Kuun, aged 47, was quoted as saying.

"We have a tracker on board and the yacht is still adrift somewhere, but I fear it is going to be too costly to salvage it," he said.

He and his girlfriend, Wendy Swanepoel, had heard about a business opportunity on the islands and gave up their jobs, sold their homes and possessions to start a new life there.

Kuun abandoned the yacht and was rescued off the West Coast on Sunday after he encountered problems with its sail and was caught in a storm. Swanepoel had intended flying to the Caribbean to meet him there.

The yacht is drifting 60 nautical miles off Namibia. Kuun left a note on board asking anyone who finds it to contact him.

Kuun returned to South Africa on Tuesday with his passport, a few dollars, his wetsuit, and life jacket. He and Swanepoel were back in their home town of Benoni, on the East Rand, and living with family.