By Ralph Barnett and Chris Hardy

A major search operation involving the Arbroath and Montrose RNLI lifeboats, a search and rescue helicopter from RAF Boulmer and coastguard officers has failed to find any trace of Stonehaven man Bobby Jackson, whose Oceanis 331 clipper Anlatika was found drifting, apparently abandoned, off the Arbroath cliffs on Friday evening.

The initial search was suspended at 10 pm on Friday and resumed the following morning but, despite another major sweep of the sea and the rugged coastline between Whiting Ness and Lunan Bay, no trace of Mr Jackson was found.

The search has now been stepped down.

The alarm was raised at 6.15 pm on Friday after the Forth coastguard control centre was informed by Mr Jackson that the Anlatika had fouled its anchor on a creel.

The sea off the Arbroath cliffs is dotted with lines and floats marking creels used by crab and lobster fishermen.

Mr Jackson informed the coastguard he had managed to free his vessel from the creel line and intended to carry on to Arbroath, this situation having been confirmed by Anthony Train, another solo yachtsman on the nearby Francis Proud.

Due to the deteriorating sea conditions and fading light, the coastguard requested the Arbroath lifeboat Inchcape to go to assist the Francis Proud.

A coastguard spokesman said, “A subsequent phone call at 7.30 pm from a concerned member of the public reported a yacht on the water adjacent to the coast where they lived but not moving.

“We decided to investigate the yacht, as we did not receive any response to our VHF calls.

“The Montrose lifeboat Moonbeam was despatched to go to the area and investigate and, upon arriving at the position of the yacht, it was quickly ascertained that there was no one on board and the vessel was confirmed to be the Anlatika.

“Forth coastguard despatched the Montrose and Arbroath coastguard rescue teams and the Arbroath and Montrose RNLI all weather and inshore lifeboats to search for a man suspected of being missing overboard.

“A search and rescue helicopter from RAF Boulmer was also scrambled to assist.”

Mr Jackson’s yacht was towed into Arbroath late on Friday and on Saturday afternoon divers from the Grampian police underwater search unit attended to carry out an examination of the hull of Mr Jackson’s vessel.

Forth coastguard watch manager Terry Michael said, “This is a very tragic incident and our thoughts are with this man’s family at this time.”

Speaking after arriving in Arbroath on Saturday on the Francis Proud, having been prevented by heavy seas from reaching his home at Inchyra on the Tay, Mr Train said, “I know Bobby from my visits to Stonehaven over the past 14 years but, at first, I didn’t know it was his boat I saw in trouble.

“I had been heading home at Inchyra after a summer cruise around the north-east coast of Scotland with my dog Sniffy and as I was sailing down from Stonehaven I was aware of another larger yacht behind and windward of me.

“He passed me under sail and with his engine running at about 5 pm when we were about halfway across Lunan Bay, and the sea was pretty lumpy so we were both getting thrown about a bit.

“I noticed he was on a course which would eventually have taken him very close in to Red Head and, as I had tacked off to give myself more clearance, I noticed his mainsail flogging.

“I got my binoculars out and, from where I was, he looked to be on the rocks.

“I tried to call the coastguard on my radio but the batteries were exhausted so I used my mobile phone and told them that, while I didn’t want to alarm anyone, I thought the other yacht seemed to be on the rocks.

“After about 20 minutes or half an hour the other yacht seemed to be making progress again and when I called the coastguard again they said they were aware he was free but that the lifeboat was on its way.”

Mr Train said the lifeboat came up the coast quickly and came alongside him at Red Head.

The lifeboat put a line and a crewman over to Mr Train’s yacht.

He went on, “We could see Bobby’s yacht wallowing with its motor running so, with me in tow, the lifeboat approached and sounded its emergency horn before doing a 360 degree circle round it and putting a crewman on board.

“As soon as it was realised no one was on board they dropped the towline and the lifeboat and myself started a search of the area and about half an hour later, after I put the lifeboat crewman, who was on my yacht, on to the Anlatika, I headed in to Arbroath harbour.

“I was pretty cold and tired myself by then and was given a cup of tea at the lifeboat station while I gave them all the details I could.

“A woman I was told was Bobby’s partner arrived while I was there and she was obviously very distressed.”

It is thought Mr Jackson (55), of Queens Road, Stonehaven, may have been knocked into the sea by his yacht’s swinging boom.

Mr Jackson, former owner of the St Leonard’s Hotel, Stonehaven for more than 15 years, worked part-time in the Ship Inn.

His employer Simon Cruickshank described Mr Jackson as “very popular, good humoured and charming,” a very experienced sailor and popular musician.

He said, “He was working for me on Friday morning. It just sounds like he must have had an accident.”

Mr Jackson has two sons and two daughters.