The family of a British sailor who vanished during a round-the-world voyage have made a disturbing discovery - the burnt remains of his electronic devices, deepening the mystery surrounding his disappearance.
The Disappearance and Disturbing Finds
James 'Jemsie' Nunan, from Colchester in Essex, has been missing since August this year after vanishing from the Spanish island of Gran Canaria. His desperate family, who have spent the past 14 weeks searching for answers, recently revealed they have found the charred outer shells of an iPad, a phone and an unscrewed GPS aerial.
Concerningly, the family states that no full forensic investigation of the boat has been conducted by authorities, leaving crucial questions unanswered about what happened to the 35-year-old adventurer.
Conflicting Accounts and Lost Passport
Jemsie's last confirmed sighting was in Las Palmas, the island's capital, on August 19. CCTV footage captured him at a kebab shop with his Irish passport visible around his neck. Later that same day, he appeared at a police station reporting that same passport as lost.
His family has received conflicting information from both Essex Police and Spain's Guardia Civil. They claim authorities initially provided contradictory statements about whether Jemsie's Jack Russell terrier, Thumbelina, was found on board his vessel when it was discovered 100 miles from his last known location.
The family statement reveals: '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.'
Mysterious Distress Call and Dog Drama
Adding to the confusion, a Pan Pan distress call - an urgency signal used for non-life-threatening emergencies - was reportedly made on August 24. While both police forces initially confirmed this call, the family says Spanish authorities have since denied any such call was made and the source was never established.
Thumbelina's situation has also raised concerns. The dog was found well on the boat on August 25, though there was no sign of Jemsie. The family claims there's no confirmed account of the dog's whereabouts between when the boat was towed and her being handed into a shelter.
Returning Thumbelina to the family became unexpectedly complicated when she was given a new Spanish microchip despite already having a British one, significantly prolonging the process.
Jemsie, described by his half-sister as 'happy and adventurous', had been planning to sail from Gran Canaria to Lanzarote before continuing by boat to Brazil with his faithful terrier. His family marked what would have been his 35th birthday recently while renewing their appeal for answers.
The investigation continues to be hampered by inconsistent information, with the family claiming they've been advised not to contact media and are being asked to pay taxes for the boat being held at a maritime police compound.
