Internationally renowned investigator and former Scorpions boss Frank Dutton has joined the search for missing yachtsman Sean Terry.
Terry’s disappearance, meanwhile, has become more baffling. It has emerged that his laptops, which could contain crucial information, and personal possessions are missing from his yacht, Finnegan.
“This is extremely disturbing news as his laptops… could have aided in the investigation. It is not known how or when these items went missing,” a family spokesman said on Thursday.
Dutton is a UN investigator and former chief executive of the Scorpions, and has investigated war crimes around the world.
He was also on the panel that reviewed the dossier to decide whether then-national police commissioner Jackie Selebi should be charged.
He is now working with the Seychellois police investigating Terry’s disappearance.
Terry, 48 was reported missing when his crew member, Stefan Pokorny, arrived on the island of Coëtivy off the coast of the Seychelles alone on June 25.
Pokorny is being held in custody and is to appear in court in the Seychelles on August 2.
It has now emerged that Terry may have gone overboard on the night of June 22.
Family sources in the Seychelles said Pokorny claimed that he had seen Terry jump overboard in bad weather conditions.
But the family have dismissed this as ridiculous.
“Anyone who knows Sean or who has sailed with him will agree there is not even the remotest possibility that he would have jumped overboard,” a family spokesman said.
The family say Pokorny is being held by the police because “his story doesn’t add up”.
“It appears that little, if anything, was done to attempt to save Sean and we cannot understand this.”
The family said they were doing everything in their power to assist with the investigation.
“We will not stop until we have the answers we need.”
The family contacted yachtsmen who had been in the Chagos Islands, from which Terry had set sail, and they confirmed he had been in good spirits and looking forward to the voyage.
In a press statement, the family said: “Sean was an extremely experienced yachtsman who had completed many solo expeditions and had great respect for the sea.
“He was looking forward to arriving back in Cape Town in time for Christmas.”
Cape Argus