- The Coast Guard is actively searching for a man who embarked on a journey from Alaska to San Diego.
- Rory Conan Williams, 45, departed from his home in Sitka, Alaska on July 9.
- A concerned friend warned Williams about the damaged engine on his boat but he decided to proceed anyway.
Rory Conan Williams embarked on his journey from Alaska over 25 days ago with the goal of reaching his mother in San Diego. However, the experienced 45-year-old sailor set out on a boat with a malfunctioning engine and has not been seen since.
Currently, the US Coast Guard is actively searching for Williams and his 32-foot vessel named “Legz.” The Coast Guard also received a report that one of Williams’ sails had torn shortly after leaving Alaska. Both the US and Canadian navies are assisting in the search efforts.
On July 9, Williams departed from Sitka, a small town on Alaska’s southern coast, where he had been involved in the tourism industry running a scooter rental business. His plan was to reach San Diego by July 27 and then continue on to Mexico to visit his mother.
A friend strongly advised him to repair his engine before setting sail
coast-to-coast/iStock
Cheston Clark, a fisherman from Sitka, shared that he had strongly advised Williams against going. Prior to his departure, Williams had approached Clark and asked for a tow out of the harbor to deeper waters, from where he intended to sail down to Southern California.
“I asked him not to proceed with his plan without fixing his engine first,” said Clark. “But he insisted that it was not repairable for some reason.”
Clark, who considered Williams a friend, stated that the missing sailor was determined to leave regardless of the advice given.
“He was frustrated with his current situation, the politics, and the city of Sitka, as he was trying to establish a tourism business there,” explained Clark. “He simply wanted to depart from town.”
Williams is an experienced sailor who felt confident enough in his abilities to undertake a journey of thousands of miles, even with a non-functioning engine. Clark believed that Williams chose to venture into the Pacific Ocean rather than sticking close to the coast, a decision that would save time but might hinder helicopter search efforts.
The Coast Guard mentioned that Williams carried provisions for 45 days and possessed an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) to indicate his distress signal and location if needed.
Clark expressed confidence that Williams will eventually reappear.
“He’s the type of person who shows up after search efforts have ended,” said Clark. “I believe he’s fine and just being unpredictable.”
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