Bernhard Fricke Missing Person Case

Bernhard Fricke, a 60-year-old experienced sailor from Germany, was last seen on April 6, 2000, while attempting to sail from St. Augustine, Florida, to Germany in his 30-foot catamaran, the *Anna V*. Fricke had successfully completed trans-Atlantic voyages before and was in regular communication with his family during the journey. In his last email, Fricke mentioned feeling seasick and reported damage to his vessel. He intended to stop in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, for repairs before continuing.

On April 7, the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) from the *Anna V* was activated but quickly lost signal, preventing authorities from pinpointing his location. Two days later, the catamaran was discovered capsized about 100 miles east of Delaware. Both Fricke and the boat's life raft were missing. Despite a week-long search covering nearly 90,000 square nautical miles, no trace of Fricke was ever found. He is presumed lost at sea, and his disappearance remains unsolved.
Last Seen: Apr 6, 2000

Bernhard Fricke - The Charley Project

Missing Person / NamUs #MP53037 - Office of Justice Programs