Last week, a group of divers came across the abandoned "Vamp", a 40-foot sailing yacht flying the German flag, off the south-west coast of the Caribbean island of Grenada. When officials from the coastguard, who had been informed by the divers, went on board, they found the apparently already decomposing body of the skipper below deck. Corresponding reports were published yesterday by various Caribbean-based media.
The man in question is 62-year-old Bernd G., originally from southern Germany, but who had settled in Cape Verde in 2000. There, in Mindelo, he ran a restaurant and worked for some time as a Trans-Ocean base manager.
According to the authorities investigating in Grenada, G. had recently sailed from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean. In fact, however, he probably set off from the Cape Verde Islands at the end of November to cross the Atlantic. This is the result of research by YACHT. It is also safe to assume that he sailed alone.
However, no information is yet available as to whether he died of natural causes. The officials only stated that the sails were badly damaged when the yacht was found. In the meantime, the coastguard has towed the yacht to St George's harbour for further investigation. The German embassy has also been informed and has contacted G.'s relatives in Germany.
Acquaintances of the deceased told YACHT that he had fallen seriously ill with cancer a few years ago and from then on used the time he had left to sail intensively.
Pascal Schürmann
Editor YACHT
