Coastguards say that it would be a ‘miracle’ if missing yachtswoman Ona Unwin, 65, was found alive.

Her yacht – a Moody 31 – left an anchorage at Mousehole, Cornwall at the weekend bound for Bideford, North Devon.

A Falmouth Coastguard spokesman said: ‘It is approaching 24 hours since the wreckage of the vessel, believed to be the Seagair, was first discovered. For someone to have survived overnight would be something close to a miracle.’

The lifeboat and helicopter search for the millionairess has been called off following the discovery of wreckage thought to be her boat, being recovered off Sennen Cove.

Mother-of-four Mrs Unwin and her husband Carol, from Northam in north Devon, had only just re-married after getting divorced about a year ago.

Mrs Unwin bought the £32,000 yacht in Falmouth and was accompanied by her husband.

She left Falmouth in the yacht on Friday despite being advised by the sellers Falmouth Yacht Brokers not to make the trip on her own and without collecting the paperwork.

The £32,000 yacht was sold by a Falmouth brokerage on Thursday
On Saturday she left Mousehole at about 18:30 BST to sail to Bideford in north Devon.

Coastguards and the police confirmed the wreckage of a vessel found near Sennen was likely to be the Seagair.