A small French sailing boat which was reported as stolen more than a month ago in Brittany has been located by the Naval Service patrol ship LE Aislingsome 250 miles west of the Aran islands.
One man was on board the four metre vessel, Le Katell, when the ship and an RAF Nimrod aircraft found the vessel yesterday evening after an extensive air and sea search.
The man, aged 22, was a Russian national, according to the Naval Service who said he had no radio nor navigation equipment on board.
Sea conditions were due to deteriorate to force six with a heavy swell, and the man appeared to be happy to accept assistance, a Naval Service spokesman told The Irish Timeslast night.
Plans were being made to lift the vessel on board the patrol ship, and to transport both boat and skipper into Cork harbour today. The four-metre vessel was first spotted by a British-registered Spanish fishing vessel, on Thursday. Such was its size and distance from shore that the fishing crew alerted rescue services. The sole occupant on board appeared to be disorientated, and waved the fishing vessel away.