KEY POINTS:
Police have named the German solo sailor presumed lost overboard after his yacht was found adrift off the Coromandel coast.
No trace of 75-year-old Eric Poehlmann was found when a fishing boat came across his 9.5m sloop, the Motu, east of Richards Rock, off Red Mercury Island about 2.30am last Thursday.
Mr Poehlmann was understood to have left Opua in the Bay of Islands nearly four weeks ago bound for Noumea.
The Rescue Coordination Centre posted a notification to watch out for his vessel to ships and boats in the area.
Waikato police communications manager Andrew McAlley said police opened a missing person's inquiry but had indicated the matter would be referred to the coroner.
Given the length of time between Mr Poehlmann's departure from Opua and the distances involved from where his vessel was discovered a search for the missing man was highly unlikely, he said.
Waikato Police have spoken to Mr Poehlmann's family in Germany.
Reports of Mr Poehlmann's body being found aboard the Motu and that it was sailing in the company of another vessel were not correct, Mr McAlley said.
- NZPA
