27 Jul 2012

Police seek help to find American sailor

1:54 pm on 27 July 2012

Police want any information about an American man sailing around New Zealand who has not been heard from for about two months.

Sean D'Epagnier, 26, arrived in New Zealand in November last year and has been living on his Bristol eight-metre sailboat Alexandra.

The Police Missing Persons Unit say his family last spoke to him in late May, when he was in the Nelson area.

Detective Sergeant Linda Simpson says the family contacted the US embassy, which then contacted the New Zealand police.

She says Mr D'Epagnier, who has blond hair, blue eyes and a full beard, had indicated he was heading to the Fiordland area or to the Pacific Islands.