A body has been found washed up on a beach near to where a Scottish sailor went missing two weeks ago.

The man has not yet been identified after the discovery on Canna island, in the Inner Hebrides, at around 0900 yesterday (Wednesday).

Neil Mackenzie, 59, was reported missing by his wife Sarah last Wednesday, after he set sail from Arisaig in the Highlands bound for his home town of Aberdeen and had not contacted her for a week.

He is an experienced sailor, having bought his boat, a 30ft-sloop called Solitaire, more than 30 years ago and singlehandedly sailed it from Canada to New Zealand.

The coastguard ended its search on Friday evening, after Solitaire was found anchored at Eilean a’ Ghaill on the Rhu Peninsula, near Mallaig.

A spokesman for the Northern Constabulary yesterday said: ‘Police are carrying out inquiries on the island of Canna to establish the identity of a man whose body was found on a beach by a member of the public at around 9am this morning.

‘There are no further details at this time. Once formal identification has taken place, no details will be issued until all next of kin have been traced and informed.’

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