AFP, BEIJINGThe US Coast Guard yesterday suspended its Pacific Ocean search for star Chinese sailor Guo Chuan, after rescuers boarded his drifting yacht and confirmed he was not there, but found his life jacket. Guo “was a professional mariner with a deep passion for sailing,” the US Coast Guard Captain Robert Hendrickson said in a statement yesterday. Guo, 51, in 2013 became the first Chinese sailor to complete a non-stop solo circumnavigation of the globe and is by far the country’s biggest sailing star. “The boat crew confirmed Chuan was not on the vessel, although his life jacket remains aboard,” the Coast Guard statement said. On a verified Chinese microblogging site, the team said Guo’s personal items had been recovered.

Source: Taipei Times October 27, 2016 16:05 UTC