By Liz Fowler

COASTGUARDS INVOLVED in the search for missing lone yachtsman Glyn Whitehead confirmed yesterday that what they were looking for now was his body.

Well known throughout Tayside, Mr Whitehead (63), an accomplished and passionate sailor, was lost overboard from his yacht in the Moray Firth mid- afternoon on Sunday.

With all hope lost of recovering him alive from the water, the search continued yesterday for his body. A navy bomb disposal team breaking up some ordnance in the area diverted to conduct a sweep of the Findhorn Bay and an auxiliary coastguard vessel The Harrier based in Inverness also searched the area.

Today coastguard teams will be joined by members of the public in a search of the shoreline.

With homes in Carnoustie, then Rosemount, near Blairgowrie, where his family ran an award-winning guest house, Mr Whitehead became highly respected throughout the Tayside farming community as general manager of the agricultrual co-operative, East of Scotland Farmers, based at Coupar Angus.

For the last 17 years he has been manager of the north-east grain co-operative, Aberdeen Grain, which he built up from 20 to 120 members. He was due to take early retirement at the end of next month and was looking forward to spending more time sailing.

A full-scale search was mounted after his 26-foot single-masted yacht, Maverick, was found circling in calm water in the Moray Firth just two miles off Findhorn, with no one on board.

The alarm was raised by his wife, agricultural journalist, Jeanne Gavin, after he failed to return from a solo voyage to Lossiemouth, 12 miles along the coast.

As the search for his body continued the Maverick was tied up in Burghead harbour where she was being examined for clues as to what may have happened.

Mr Whitehead has a daughter, Sarah, from a previous marriage. His only son from the same marriage, Paul, an RAF pilot, died suddenly several years ago after a brain haemorrhage while stationed in Moray.