sailor who left Bermuda a month ago, after running aground.

Mr. Neil Willoughby set off for Barbados on December 8 and should have arrived within three weeks.

But there had been no news of his arrival in the Caribbean up to yesterday, causing fears for his safety.

Mr. Willoughby's troubles began when he sailed the 32-foot cutter West Man from Norfolk, Virginia, to Bermuda in November.

He had experienced trouble on November 10 when he told Harbour Radio that he was lost, having set off from the United States without any navigational charts. His boat was also low on fuel.

Two days later Harbour Radio warned him about the chain of treacherous reefs around the Island and gave him a safe course to steer.

They asked him to call back within two hours, but he failed to make any further contact until making a panic call to say he had struck the rocks and was taking on water.

Marine Police rescued the stricken yacht which they found two miles northeast of Chubhead Beacon and towed it to Robinson's Marina and later to Mill's Creek Marina.

A Harbour Radio spokesman said extensive repairs were carried out on the hull and other parts of West Man .

"The boat left Bermuda on December 8 and it is now January 9 and we do not know if he has arrived,'' he said. "We have started to make inquiries in Antigua and Barbados.

"We expected him to take three weeks at least but there is a lot between Bermuda and Barbados and he is single-handed.

"He may have pulled into another port, but now is the time to get a little concerned. We do not know what kind of weather conditions he may have encountered.''