The twin brother of a Chattanooga woman and his family and crew have been missing at sea for a month.
David Dyche was sailing his 85-year-old schooner, Nina, when it disappeared in a storm while on a voyage from New Zealand to Australia. Also aboard were his wife, Rosemary, son, David, and four crew members.
The twin sister is Cherie Martinez, a United Airlines captain.
The Dyches are from Panama City.
One of Cherie's daughters Julia, lives here with her husband. They were married on board the Nina last year when it was docked in New Zealand.
There was a report that David Dyche may have made a frantic ship-to-shore call to his mother at her home in Palm Beach, Fla., on June 13. The mother reported hearing her name called amid a lot of static.
David Dyche and the crew are all experienced sailors and the family is holding out hope that the boat may still be afloat.
The crew faced a storm with winds gusting up to 68 mph and waves reaching 26 feet high.
Crew members include three additional Americans and a 35-year-old British man.
The last communication was June 4 to a New Zealand meteorologist on how to get away from the “nasty” weather.