Search underway for missing Brit James Nunan as yacht and dog discovered off Gran Canaria without him

A British builder has gone missing during a round-the-world sailing adventure after his yacht and beloved dog were discovered adrift near theCanary Islands - but there was no trace of the man himself.

James Nunan, 34, set off on his epic voyage in March aboard the Kehaar, a yacht he'd bought in Slovenia.

The adventurer was accompanied by his miniature Jack Russell, Thumbelina, as he embarked on his dream to circumnavigate the globe, and initially everything seemed to be progressing smoothly.

But disaster struck last month when James' vessel was found drifting 50 miles off Gran Canaria's coast by local coastguards, with Thumbelina still aboard - yet the sailor had completely vanished.

Nunan, a tradesman from Reading nicknamed "Jemsie" by his loved ones, last spoke to his mother, Maura Norton, 56, and relatives on August 18, with his bank card final transaction recorded at a kebab shop in Las Palmas at 10.39pm that evening, reports the Express.

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More than a year in preparation, James' global sailing expedition had been a longterm dream, and the experienced mariner had already called at Gibraltar and Lanzarote before reaching Gran Canaria.

His half-sister, Nikita Goddard, 31, from Lincoln, told The Telegraph: "He's always been a free spirit. Before he went sailing he was living in a converted van, and he was travelling around Scotland in it.

"When he was in Scotland he just got this idea that he was going to get a boat and sail around the world. He's been doing that since late March this year. He waited until after my son was born so he could meet him and went pretty much straight afterwards.

"He's been going all around Europe on his boat. He's been very good about keeping contact with my mum. I've been hearing through my mum how he has been getting on and what he has been doing.

"She last spoke to him on August 18 - it was a Monday - and by the Wednesday my mum started to get a bit worried. I believe it was Friday, August 22, when she reported him as a missing person.

"We are told there was a 'pan-pan' alert made in regards to his boat - it's one step down from a mayday."

The final confirmed sighting of Nunan occurred on the same day he contacted his relatives, when he visited Paddy's Anchor, a bar in Las Palmas, to relax after a lengthy day.

However it is understood that both his passport and rucksack were stolen that very evening, with the builder reporting the loss of his passport to the Irish Embassy.

With Nunan now officially listed as a missing person, his dad has travelled to Gran Canaria to hunt for his vanished son, whilst officers from Essex Policehave remained in contact with mum Maura back home.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We are supporting the family of a British man who has been reported missing in Spain and are in contact with the local authorities."

Essex Police said: "We're in touch with James's family to provide support to them at this very difficult time.

"We have submitted a number of queries through our international liaison officers and Interpol to Spanish authorities. At this stage we are awaiting response.

"We dearly hope James can be located safely as soon as possible and we will continue to be in contact, alongside the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, with his family, and [will] help where we can."