Man vanishes in Spain during sail-the-world trip

A man sailing the world vanished without a trace after buying dinner on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria, his family said.

Police found James "Jemsie" Nunan's boat 100 miles (160km) from his last known location in Las Palmas on 25 August, seven days after he was last seen.

A dog belonging to the 34-year-old nomad, from Colchester, was found alive and well onboard, but he was not present.

His half-sister, Nikita Goddard, told the BBC: "It started to become very worrying, very quickly."

The Foreign Office and Essex Police both said they were supporting Mr Nunan's family and the ongoing investigation.

Mr Nunan, who also had links to Reading, was about five-and-a-half months into his solo sailing trip and planned to travel to Brazil, having worked as a bricklayer to fund the journey.

On the night of his disappearance, Mr Nunan told a man he was about to travel to Lanzarote, said Mrs Goddard, from Lincoln.

"He's a very happy person. Everyone says he's always got a smile on his face," the 31-year-old added.

Mr Nunan filmed himself on a Facebook Live broadcast four hours before he was last seen.

In the video at 18:16 BST, he was walking among a large group of people, believed to be migrants, at Playa del Confital beach, north-west of Las Palmas city centre.

The nomad was said to have later moored his boat nearby and headed into the city, visiting Paddy's Anchor bar.

A man who claimed to have spoken to Mr Nunan said he had been drinking but was not troublesome, instead explaining about his sailing adventure before leaving at about 22:00.

CCTV then captured Mr Nunan a six-minute walk away at a kebab shop, where he purchased dinner.

His backpack was stolen from outside the shop, but Mrs Goddard said he stayed to eat his food and had his passport around his neck.

The family became concerned the following day when Mr Nunan failed to call his mother like usual.

"That was absolutely not normal at all," Mrs Goddard said.

"He was very good at keeping contact with my mum. Whenever he was able to, he would constantly phone."

18 August, 18:16: Mr Nunan films himself on Facebook Live walking among migrants at Playa del Confital beach

About 22:00: He leaves Paddy's Anchor bar in Las Palmas, having told a fellow customer he planned to travel to Lanzarote.

22:39: Mr Nunan purchases dinner at Rico Doner Kebab. He is seen to be wearing his passport around his neck, but has his backpack stolen while he ordered food.

19 August: His passport is reported "lost or stolen" to an Irish consulate in Gran Canaria

22 August: Mr Nunan's mother reports him missing to Essex Police

Between 24 and 25 August: A pan-pan call is made in relation to his boat

25 August: Police locate Mr Nunan's boat 50 miles (80km) off the south coast of Gran Canaria - about 100 miles from Las Palmas - and tow it to Arguineguin port. They say his dog, Thumbelina, was not onboard

27 August: Officers contact Mr Nunan's family to say his dog, Thumbelina, has now been found alive and well onboard. She is taken to a rescue shelter

The family have been told Mr Nunan's passport was reported "lost or missing" to an Irish consulate in Gran Canaria on 19 August.

A call was made in relation to his boat between 24 and 25 August, with police recovering the vessel on 26 August.

It was 50 miles off the south coast of Gran Canaria, some 100 miles from Mr Nunan's last known location in Las Palmas.

Police initially told the family his dog, Thumbelina, was not onboard, but they later clarified she was found alive and well on the boat.

"There's a lot of questions going around," Mrs Goddard said, adding her life had been thrown into "chaos" while on maternity leave.

"It's just become crazy, to say the least. It's not been easy."

An Essex Police spokesman said it was liaising with Interpol and Spanish authorities.

"We dearly hope James can be located safely as soon as possible," he added.

Follow East of England news on X, Instagram and Facebook: BBC Beds, Herts & Bucks, BBC Cambridgeshire, BBC Essex, BBC Norfolk, BBC Northamptonshire or BBC Suffolk.