When a Marina del Rey man’s boat washed up close to the small Baja California city of Nopoló on Saturday, solely his canine was aboard.

A frantic search is now underway to seek out Invoice Austin, who his mates say was anchored on the north finish of Isla Carmen — an island simply off of Loreto.

His catamaran — named “The Cat” — was discovered beached about 5 miles south of Loreto, mentioned Scott LaMay, commodore of the Pacific Mariners Yacht Membership to which Austin belonged.

When it washed ashore, the boat wasn’t broken. Each engines labored and the sails had been down.

When boaters who shared Austin’s dock in Marina del Rey discovered what occurred, they instantly began reaching out to seek out assist in Baja Californi, LaMay mentioned.

A search celebration shaped, however LaMay mentioned tough seas compelled them to name it early Saturday night time. By Sunday, three boats and two planes, along with the Coast Guard, had been scouring the realm, he mentioned.

However native Mexican authorities on Tuesday morning mentioned Austin nonetheless hadn’t been discovered.

“The search and rescue continues,” mentioned Enrique Hernandez Brandi, of Loreto’s Civil Safety, in Spanish.

LaMay mentioned Austin’s disappearance has devastated the native boating group. In addition to being a top-notch captain, LaMay described Austin as “the nicest man that you simply’d ever meet.”

“At all times prepared to assist, all the time had a smile on his face,” LaMay mentioned of Austin, who has two daughters.

Although many issues might have gone fallacious, LaMay suspects Austin fell overboard and was unable to get again on his Fountaine Pajot 39 Catamaran. Sturdy winds had been reported within the space on the time, according to local sources.

“We’re attempting to carry it collectively and have hope,” LaMay mentioned.

Stoking the hope is the actual fact his pal is a “MacGyver,” he mentioned, or somebody with a unprecedented knack for unconventional problem-solving.

Austin’s canine, a blended breed named Stogie, is now with a pal, in line with Mariners Membership members.

A California ID posted on-line by a Mexican boat fabricator, which seems to belong to Austin, says he’s 60 years outdated, with blue eyes, brown hair and weighs 155 kilos.

In November, Austin sailed to Mexico for the Baja Ha-Ha Race, a yearly race from San Diego to Cabo.

“It was a kind of bucket listing issues,” LaMay mentioned.

Austin determined to remain awhile, to benefit from the water and have his boat painted, his mates mentioned.

Earlier than he went lacking, he was en path to La Paz to choose up crew members and head again to Marina del Rey, LaMay mentioned.

Shaylyn Austin, considered one of Austin’s daughters, flew into Mexico to help with the search, LaMay mentioned.

She wrote in a Facebook post {that a} couple reported speaking to her father in Punta San Basilio on Wednesday morning. Within the submit up to date 11 a.m. Monday, she wrote that there had been one other sighting in San Bruno on Thursday — with pictures taken that day depicting his boat within the background.

She added that it’s attainable her father went for assistance on land, “and we at the moment are focusing search efforts additional inland in that very same space.”

“The search groups are grateful for any ideas or data anybody can present!! Each little bit helps. Thanks all,” she wrote.

Anybody with info is requested to name Civil Safety authorities in Loreto at +526121679946.