Missing oarsman's boat found empty off Clare

The rowing boat belonging to the missing transatlantic oarsman, Dr Nenad Belic, has been found a quarter of a mile off the Clare coastline.

The hull was spotted yesterday by a local fishing boat, the Molly Bawn, about halfway between Kilkee and Loop Head, in an area known as Pouladay Rocks. It was reported to the Irish Coast Guard. Further examination of the vessel - bearing a US flag and oars, and lying upturned - confirmed that it was the 20 foot craft.

An inspection by divers from Kilkee Sub-Aqua Club established that Dr Belic's body was not on board.

Dr Belic (62), a retired cardiologist of Yugoslav origin, living in Chicago, was reported missing on his boat, the Lun, on September 30th. He had set out on May 11th from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and had hoped to reach Europe in about two months . He expected to make his landfall on the Iberian coastline.

A rescue operation was initiated on September 30th when a distress signal was picked up by Valentia Coast Guard from an emergency position indicating radio beacon.

The latitude/longitude was given as about 215 nautical miles west of Castletownbere, Co Cork.

An RAF Nimrod flew from Kinloss in Scotland to the location of the signal, but weather conditions were exceptionally bad, with storm Force 10 conditions. Although a life raft was lowered, nothing was found.

Falmouth Coastguard co-ordinated the search throughout October 1st, involving the Air Corps and Irish Coast Guard, but called it off later that evening when no debris was spotted.

Speaking from the US last night, Dr Belic's father-in-law, Mr Jerome Stone, said that Dr Belic's wife, Ellen, and family were shattered to hear that the boat had been found with no body on board. His son-in-law had designed the craft to be self-righting and unsinkable.

"We know at least that it was unsinkable, and we can only guess that he must have been thrown out of it in the conditions," Mr Stone told The Irish Times.

Dr Belic was a father of four and is believed to have spent some $50,000 to prepare for the trip. He sought no publicity, and described the voyage as a "personal quest". It is believed that he ran into equinoctial gales, which hit from mid-September. After the accident, his son, Adrian, came to Ireland and hired a private plane in an effort to find him.

"My son-in-law was beloved by everybody and had only retired two years ago from the two major hospitals in Chicago where he worked," Mr Stone said.

"He had spent a lot of his youth in boats in and around the islands off Yugoslavia and was very experienced.

"He was artistic, well read, popular and yet introverted. He had this quest which he wanted to follow. It is very sad for us to realise that he had almost achieved it, having rowed over 25,000 miles in all kinds of weather," Mr Stone added.

Dr Belic last made contact shortly before he disappeared. When he was unable to reach his wife on the phone, he spoke to an oceanographer advising him on his voyage, and the Ocean Rowing Society which was tracking his progress.

Just over a month ago, after her father's disappearance, Dr Belic's youngest daughter, Maia (13), had made her bar mitzvah. Mr Stone said that last night she had offered to give the money she had received on that occasion to the Irish Coast Guard.

"The Coast Guard can't accept it as it is a State organisation, but we were told that it was very touched by the offer," Mr Stone said. Arrangements were being made yesterday to take the craft into tow and bring it to Kilkee, about 61/2 miles away. The Irish Coast Guard said it could take up to 14 hours to bring it ashore.