Ghost yacht found drifting at sea with MUMMIFIED corpse of sailor missing for SEVEN years

The abandoned yacht has turned up off the coast of the Philippines, having seemingly drifted at sea for years. 

His body was discovered near the radio telephone on the 40ft yacht called Sayo, as if he was trying to make one last desperate mayday call.

How long he has been there is not clear although the last sighting of him was made in 2009.

Photo albums, clothes and tins of food are strewn all over the interior of the yacht.

Fishermen spotted the yacht nearly 40 miles from the Philippines coast in the Pacific Ocean.

The mast was broken and much of the cabin was under water.

The cause of the sailor's death is unclear, with dry ocean winds and the salty air helping to preserve his body.

He was identified by paperwork found on the vessel.

Manfred reportedly split from his wife in 2008 and she later died from cancer.

Another sailor called Dieter told Der Bild: "He was a very experienced sailor. I don't believe he would have sailed into a storm.

"I believe the mast broke after Manfred was already dead."

Manfred's body was taken for an autopsy in Butuan City and the yacht was towed for a police inspection into the port of Barobo.

Police spokeswoman Goldie Lou Siega said: "We have no evidence of a second person aboard and no weapon was found on the yacht."

Dr Mark Benecke, a forensic criminologist in Cologne said he thought his death was unexpected, perhaps from a heart attack, given how he was sitting.

(dailystar.co.uk)