The search is on for a South African yacht which has gone missing somewhere in the Indian Ocean off northern Mozambique. It’s feared that pirates have taken the yacht, called the Dandelion, and its passengers captive. Two South Africans – including skipper John Sergel, from Durban – are believed to be on board, together with tourists from America, the UK, the Netherlands, Germany and France.

The yacht, which left the island of Mayotte on Tuesday afternoon and was expected to arrive in Pemba on Friday, has not been seen or heard from since it departed on a pleasure cruise. Despite being equipped with several communications systems, the location of the yacht has not been reported for days.

Authorities from the various countries represented by the Dandelion’s passengers have become involved with the search for the boat, and an EU plane is currently searching for it at sea. Worries about a pirate capture are yet to be allayed.

[Source: Beeld]