THE family of a British sailor who went missing on his round-the-world tour said they’ve discovered the burnt remains of his iPad and phone.
James Nunan, from Colchester, Essex, disappeared in Gran Canaria just five months into his sailing trip – sparking a widespread search and a desperate appeal for answers by those closest to him.
James, better known to family and friends as Jemsie, turned 35 this week, coinciding with his family’s renewed call for action after 14 agonising weeks searching for him.
They claim they’ve received “contradictory” statements from Essex Police and the Guardia Civil, including a weak investigation of his ship.
A burnt iPad and an unscrewed GPS aerial were also unearthed from the boat but the family said these have not been properly analysed.
His dog, Thumbelina, had been accompanying him on the trip and was found alive and well on the boat on August 25, but there was no sign of the sailor.
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Jemsie’s family said a Pan Pan distress call – an urgency signal used for non-life-threatening emergencies – was made on August 24.
This was initially confirmed by cops but the family now claim officials have denied a call was ever made.
In a statement, the family also said: “CCTV footage from a kebab shop – where Jemsie was last seen – has reportedly been dismissed by authorities, on the grounds that he later attended a police station to report his passport missing.
“However, we have received confirmation that he was targeted at the kebab shop and that his backpack was stolen there.
“Witnesses at the kebab shop have confirmed this; however, Guardia Civil would not speak to these witnesses.”
Earlier this month, Spanish cops released an image of James in their desperate attempt to locate him.
He is pictured ordering food at the kebab joint, wearing a blue T-shirt with his Jack Russell on his lap.
In one photograph, three diners appear to be enjoying a meal behind him as he stands at the checkout.
Official records show James reported his passport as lost or stolen at the Irish Embassy on August 19 – a day after he was last seen or heard from.
At the time, his half-sister Nikita said: “We know he’d had a drink but as a family we don’t believe he would recklessly set sail in the dark at night,” she said.
“It doesn’t make sense for it to be ‘oh he fell overboard’ because he was drunk, there are a lot of holes in the story.”
Paddy’s Anchor, a pub he was at on the night he disappeared, previously shared appeals by James’ worried family on social media saying: “Many of you have been asking, so we want to share this post from Jemsie’s family.
“His sister is still searching for him after he was last seen here in Las Palmas.
“His boat has since been found off the coast of Gran Canaria, but there has been no contact from him since.”
A witness came forward to claim he spoke to James as he said the Brit was drunk but not acting in any unusual manner.
He had reportedly told him about his sailing adventures and that he planned to head to Lanzarote.
Some pub staff also claimed they were told not to speak to anyone about his mysterious disappearance.
A man reportedly answered phone calls at the pub saying: “It’s an open investigation and we’ve been told not to speak to anyone and I’ve just got to go with that I’m afraid.”
Asked if it was local police or Mr Nunan’s family who had asked him not to speak, he said: “I can’t talk about it, sorry.”
After his boat was found with the dog on board, it was towed back to Argineguin in the south of Gran Canaria.
A spokesperson for the Civil Guard said: “We are looking into this case. Several lines of investigation are being pursued.”
Jemsie had been about five-and-a-half months into his solo sailing trip when he vanished – and had been planning to travel to Brazil.
Nikita added that a distress signal was sent out in relation to his boat between August 24 and 25.
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The dog found on board has since been taken to an animal shelter.
Jemsie’s father has travelled to the island searching for any signs of the missing 34-year-old.
