Sailboat with 4 people onboard goes missing in North Sea as rescuers call off search

• A sailboat named Luna with four people onboard went missing in the North Sea after it stopped communicating for about 24 hours.

• Dutch Coast Guard and KNRM launched a large search operation involving boats, a helicopter, and an aircraft but found no trace of the vessel.

• The boat was last spotted north of Terschelling island while heading towards Germany’s Heligoland before continuing to Norway.

• Authorities have stopped the search for now, saying the lack of contact does not automatically mean the passengers are in danger.

A sailboat carrying four people has disappeared in the North Sea, leaving rescue teams searching for answers after a major operation failed to find any sign of the vessel.

The missing boat, named Luna, was last seen sailing north of the Dutch island of Terschelling while heading towards Germany’s Heligoland island group.

The alarm was raised on Thursday evening after someone on land became worried when they had not heard from the crew for about 24 hours.

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According to reports, Luna is a red single-mast sailboat with white sails. The vessel was expected to continue its journey from Heligoland along the Danish coast before eventually reaching Kristiansand in Norway.

Following the report, the Dutch Coast Guard and rescue organisation KNRM launched a wide search across the North Sea.

Rescue boats were deployed from Vlieland, Schiermonnikoog, Ameland, Lauwersoog, and Terschelling to search areas around the Wadden Islands. A Coast Guard helicopter and aircraft also joined the operation, scanning the sea from above.

Despite hours of searching, rescuers found no trace of the boat or the four people onboard.

The Coast Guard later announced that the search had been suspended, saying the entire area had already been checked.

A spokesperson told RTL Nieuws: “The entire area has already been searched, so there is no point continuing. In the meantime, they could have sailed in a completely different direction or changed their plans. At that point, it really becomes like looking for a needle in a haystack.”

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The spokesperson also explained that losing contact while sailing does not always mean something bad has happened.

“It is quite normal not to have phone service while at sea,” the spokesperson said.

Authorities have since contacted other vessels through marine radio, asking sailors in the area to watch out for Luna. The Dutch Coast Guard has also informed German and Danish maritime authorities about the missing boat.

For now, there is no confirmed information about what happened to the sailboat or the people onboard. Rescue officials say they will continue monitoring for any possible updates.