Canoeist poised to complete Atlantic epic

An ex-soldier trying to become the first man to paddle across the Atlantic in a kayak has been spotted just off the west coast of Ireland.

While a helicopter chartered by his support team searched for Peter Bray off the County Donegal coast, a fishing boat spotted him miles south off the coast of Co Mayo.

Mr Bray, who left Newfoundland in June in his 20-foot kayak, had been making for Killybegs on the Donegal coast when all radio contact was lost with him last night.

The 44-year-old lecturer had been expected to arrive in the fishing port during the afternoon, but when he failed to turn up the search was mounted after low cloud and rain cleared enough for the helicopter to take off.

But while it searched off the Donegal coast, Martin O'Donnell on the fishing boat Sinead spotted him off the Co Mayo coast and spoke with him. He said Mr Bray seemed in good health and good spirits.

He added: "The boys offered him a tow, but he refused. He said he was making for Porturlin and expected to make landfall in about two hours."

Contact had been lost between Mr Bray and his support team when his satellite phone lost power because his solar system had not been making any power due to the bad weather.

His spokesman, Jim Rowlinson, waiting in Killybegs said: "It's just so frustrating. We had contact with him all the way across and lost it at the last minute."

Mr Rowlinson was on board the search helicopter, initially unaware Mr Bray had been spotted and nearing the end of his epic journey.