We sent this out today to the Saito 8 email contact list, and are reposting it here.
***
You are being sent this as one of the people receiving the Saito 8 Daily Updates.
If you are in a position to help, your assistance is urgently requested.
We have been contacted in Japan by someone representing the family of another solo sailor who has been unaccounted for since his last message to his wife in Japan on March 11.
He was approaching Cape Horn from the west at the time of his last contact, and was approx. 438 nm due west of the Pacific entrance of the Strait of Magellan at the time.
The Japan Coast Guard and Chilean Navy have both been alerted.
He has an EPIRB emergency transponder on board, and it has not been activated. An attempt to track his Iridium sat phone signal was not successful.
If you are able to assist or advise in some way, please email (ftf@gol.com) or call Hunter Brumfield in Tokyo at +81 90 52 13 49 67.
Mr. Chinami's position and details are as follows:
Skipper's full name: Mr. Keiichi Chinami
Age: 62
Nationality: Japanese
Name of boat: "Kifu," 35-foot ketch
Home port: Fukuoka, Japan
No. of persons on board: 1
EPIRB registration No.: TBA
Radio call sign: JE6BBF (Iridium phone also on board)
Missing since: March 11, 2010
Last known position: 051 deg 08 min S, 086 deg 55 min W (approx 438 nm west of Strait of Magellan Pacific entrance)
Last port: New Zealand in mid-January, sailing eastward (toward Cape Horn)
Next intended port: Puerto Williams in Strait of Magellan
Map showing Mr. Chinami's last known position (Click to enlarge)
