Palm Desert man reported missing after sailing trip

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It’s been nearly two weeks since Bonnie Byhre last saw her husband, Richard Byhre. The 76-year-old left to tend to their sailboat in a San Diego marina February 10th.

“He goes down there and does things on the boat and then he’ll go out for a sail and just enjoy himself,” said Bonnie.

Bonnie told us Richard doesn’t own a mobile phone because he’s hearing impaired. They usually communicate via E-mail on a tablet he brings with him on the boat.

Bonnie got no E-mails since Richard left, but she did get flowers on Valentine’s Day, along with a card.

“‘All my love, Richard,'” she said of the card. “And I thought he was coming home, so I bought him a balloon and the card that was on the table.”

But Richard never returned, so Bonnie called Southwestern Yacht Club on Shelter Island, where they kept their 28-foot sailboat called “Princess.”

“One yacht club member said she helped him push the boat out on the 14th and the yacht club said it was missing since the 15th.”

On Friday, February 20, Bonnie notified San Diego Harbor Police and the U.S. Coast Guard that her husband was missing.

Since then crews have been scouring the waters all the way down to the Baja Coast of Mexico. So far, no sign of Richard or their sailboat.

Meanwhile, Bonnie’s fears are mounting.

“He’s the most wonderful person, and he’s capable of anything,” she said. “It’s just if his health failed him, that’s what I worry.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact the 11th Coast Guard District Command Center at 510-437-3701.