Arthur Alleyne and his wife Sharon Went Alleyne, left their home in St Lucia on 25 October for a routine sail to Barbados, but disappeared, raising fears they had been caught in a storm. Search attempts by marine authorities in Martinique, St Lucia and Barbados were unsuccessful.

The couple’s children had appealed for anyone in the surrounding islands with access to boats, light aircraft or helicopters to join in the search as the yacht might have been drifting. Arther Alleyne’s daughter Arianne Moore contacted the Barbados newspaper the Nation, to say all was well; She had spoken to her father Arthur Alleyne and the pair were ‘on land’ in Soufriere, St Lucia.

Arianne told the Nation: ‘I don’t know the whole story… He just said that the mast is all ripped up, the sails are shredded, the engines gone, but they are alive. ‘He just said ‘We are alive. Your father is not going to die like that, girl’.

Daughter Tao Alleyne used the social networking site Facebook to praise all those who had joined in the search or helped to spread the word. She said: ‘My siblings and I would just like to express how grateful we are to everyone who helped us during these past few days in the search for our parents!

‘Whether you were part of the search and rescue, someone who was passing along the relevant information to different authorities, someone who was sharing the news via media for us or even just someone who was praying for us and our family – we thank you.

‘We are overwhelmed by the love and support from friends and strangers alike and couldn’t have made it through without all of your help! We are so pleased to be able to announce that they have been found safe and well!

‘We have no details as of yet; I’m sure it will be an epic tale though! Once again thank you so much everyone!’