Appeal to Phuket fishing fleet to find ‘Marco Polo’

UPDATE: See ’Suspicions raised over ‘Marco Polo’ incident’

Sitthipol Muangsong, Chief of the Phuket Provincial Fisheries Office, yesterday (Jan 12) reported that he had received a request from the yacht’s owner, 58-year-old German national Marco Ceferin.

Mr Ceferin, a long-term Phuket expat and well known in Phuket’s yachting and diving community, had requested that the Phuket Provincial Fisheries Office publicise information seeking help in finding the missing yacht.

People who believe they saw the yacht or know any information about its whereabouts are urged to call Mr Cerefin’s wife, Khun Jane, at 090-3321806, Mr Sitthipol said.

A reward is being offered for information that leads directly to the recovery of the missing yacht, Mr Sitthipol added.

Mr Ceferin has been searching for his yacht after it was discovered missing, possibly stolen, from Nai Harn on Dec 28.

The Marco Polo is a Fountaine Pajot Lavezzi 40, estimated to be worth around US$300,000 (approximately B10 million) with the registration number 6451 00980.

An eye witness told Mr Ceferin that he had seen three people board the boat around 8:30am on the day before Mr Cerefin discovered it was missing.

Mr Ceferin immediately reported Marco Polo’s disappearance to Chalong Police Station who in turn liaised with Phuket’s Port Security Control Centre and the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre (Region 3) to launch a search mission.

The authorities also contacted all fishing boats in the local area to help with the search by keeping a lookout for the missing yacht.

Anyone with any information that may assist in locating the yacht or who may happen to see it is urged to contact the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre (Region 3) on 1465.