The Mexican military has recovered the boat of a missing American man off the country’s southern coast, but the Maryland sailor who was piloting it by himself was not found.
Donald Lawson’s 60-foot, racing sailboat was spotted Thursday night by a patrol boat about 410 miles southwest of the port city of Acapulco, the navy said Friday.
The navy’s maritime and search unit is still searching for the 41-year-old experienced sailor.
Lawson was seeking to become the first African American sailor to complete a solo, nonstop circumnavigation across the world on a sailboat no longer than 60 feet, which he named ‘Defiant.’
His brother, Quentin Lawson, told NBC affiliate WBAL that he was planning to reach the goal in 70 days starting this fall.
Baltimore resident Donald Lawson is still missing after the Mexican navy located his 60-foot ORMA 60 Trimaran Mighty Merloe sailboat on Thursday night off the coast of the Pacific city of Acapulco
Donald Lawson planned this fall to become the first African American to sail across the world in a boat not longer than 60 feet
The capsized sailboat was located by Mexico’s navy on Thursday about 410 miles southwest of the port city of Acapulco
An aircraft located a boat that resembled Lawson’s about 370 miles south of Acapulco on Sunday. The navy launched a search mission, but it wasn’t until Thursday night that they were able to find vessel.
A spokesman for Lawson’s wife, Jaqueline Lawson, said Wednesday that the vessel had been located after authorities sent images to her, according to the Washington Post. However, the Mexican navy cleared any confusions that the photo may have caused by announcing that their vessels were not successful in finding it due to bad weather.
It’s unknown if the photo of the boat that was sent to Jacqueline Lawson was taken from the airplane on Tuesday night.
Acapulco port authorities said that Donald Lawson arrived January 26 to undergo repairs to the motor and hull of the ORMA 60 Trimaran Mighty Merloe, which he purchased in San Diego in April 2022.
He departed Acapulco on July 5 and was headed to the Panama Canal, where he planned to cross to the Caribbean Sea and continue north to Baltimore.
Jacqueline Lawson told local media outlets that on July 9 she received a message from her husband, who complained he was encountering mechanical problems and the motor was losing power.
According to the wife of Donald Lawson, the 41-year-old was going to return to Acapulco on July 12 when a storm damaged his wind generator
Donald Lawson became interested in sailing at the age of nine, growing up to become the chairman of diversity, equity and inclusion of U.S. Sailing
He contacted her again three days later to inform her that a storm had knocked out his wind generator and he would try to return to Acapulco.
The last satellite positioning message received for the Defiant was July 13.
His friend, Stephen Mann, said on Facebook on Thursday that he was on a boat that departed Acapulco on July 2 and that Donald Lawson was sailing right behind them.
Mann said his vessel has been docked next to the missing sailor’s for a few years and met him when he bought the Defiant.
Baltimore resident Donald Lawson founded Dark Seas Project, which promotes diversity in sailing among minorities
‘He should have overtaken us, only to be found capsized and now missing, lost at sea,’ Mann wrote. ‘There was no significant weather system at the time, but I can confirm many vicious squalls.’
Donald Lawson, who is Black, grew up in Baltimore and from his first sailing opportunity at age 9, set his sights on making it his career.
‘From that day forward, that was my goal – become a professional sailor,’ he said in a profile published by U.S. Sailing last year.
Donald Lawson is the chairman of diversity, equity and inclusion of U.S. Sailing and along with his wife founded the Dark Seas Project, which promotes diversity in the sport minorities.
He started out cleaning boats, folding sails and stowing gear in Annapolis.
