Scots businessman missing off Egyptian coast during 5,000 mile sailing trip

Mr Finnie's yacht Simba was found empty on a reef. Picture: Boatwatch.org

Colin Finnie, of Helensburgh, is believed to have lost contact with family and authorities during his voyage across the Indian Ocean from Australia, The Sun reports.

His 45ft vessel SV Simba was found empty on a reef on 13 December, 350 miles away from the port of Port Ghalib, Egpyt, where he had been due to dock.

Mr Finnie's last contact with his family was on 7 December.

Boatwatch, a website for reporting missing maritime vessels, said in a statement: "On 13 December at approximately 1400 hrs Eastern Time, Boatwatch.org was advised the SV SIMBA was overdue on a passage to Port Ghalib, located in Marsa Alam along the Southern Red Sea Coral Coast of Egypt, 67 kms south of Quseir City.

It continued: "The SV SIMBA is occupied by a singlehanded sailor named Colin Finnie, age unknown."

"The last known contact with Finnie was on Saturday 07 DEC 2019 when he was about 300 nautical miles away from his destination. His means of communication are unknown."

Mr Finnie once owned the 32-bed Aberdeen Northern Hotel, which was put on the market for £1.5million in 2017.

The Foreign Office said: “We are supporting the family of a British man reported missing while sailing in the Red Sea and are in contact with Egyptian authorities.”

Anyone with information that could assist Mr Finnie's family is urged to contact Boatwatch.