London Father Missing After Yacht Capsizes in Storm Herminia

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February 11, 2025
3 min read

London Father Missing After Yacht Capsizes in Storm Herminia

A London family is facing an unimaginable loss after Charles Todd, a 73-year-old father of five, went missing when his yacht capsized off the coast of France during fierce storm conditions. The experienced sailor set off on his journey towards the Caribbean but encountered trouble in the Bay of Biscay, where his distress beacon was detected on 25th January, around 50 miles west of France.

Before the alarm was raised, Mr Todd had briefly assured a cargo ship of his safety after failing to respond to initial radio calls. When a French Air Force helicopter was dispatched to search for him, rescuers instead found only his yacht, the Tiger PA, drifting with no sign of its captain. A Portuguese cargo ship and a Spanish hospital vessel were diverted to assist, but by the following day, the search was called off. Divers who reached the yacht confirmed that Mr Todd was nowhere to be found.

His daughter, Nadine Gowan, described her London father as a man who “lived life to the full” and was “loving, charismatic, young-at-heart.” Born in Ghana, Mr Todd moved to Manchester in his youth before spending more than two decades in Germany. He eventually returned to London in the 2000s, where he continued his passion for sailing.

The tragedy comes in the wake of Storm Herminia, which brought heavy rain and strong winds to parts of western Europe, including France, Spain, Portugal, and the UK. Severe weather conditions battered the Bay of Biscay, making an already treacherous part of the Atlantic even more dangerous for sailors.

The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency advises all seafarers to be fully prepared for extreme weather conditions and to follow safety protocols when sailing in unpredictable waters.

For more updates on safety at sea and further insights, visit EyeOnLondon. We’d love to hear your views in the comments.