The mummified body of Manfred Fritz Bajorat, a 59-year-old German adventurer, has been found inside an abandoned yacht drifting in the Philippine Sea by two fishermen.
Bajorat was last seen in 2009 and the last reported contact with him was through social media last year.
The fishermen discovered the drifting yacht and Bajorat's body on Thursday, about 62 miles from Barobo, according to Australia's
News.com. He looked like he was "sleeping," authorities said,
Barobo Police Inspector Mark Navales told News.com there was no sign of foul play but it wasn't clear how Bajorat died. Police spokeswoman Goldie Lou Siega said there was no evidence of another person being on the yacht and no weapon was found.
According to a
Barobo Police Facebook post, one of the fishermen, Christopher Rivas told authorities they were on their way home when they spotted the yacht with its sail damaged.
"… That prompted the reportee to enter the said boat to verify further and when he peep inside he noticed a male person lifeless subject for decomposition sitting at the right portion of the boat believe to be the radio room," said the post.
"Thereafter, he called his companions and decided to drag the said yacht going to the municipality of Barobo, Surigao del Sur. While on the way, the reportee contacted his friends thru handheld radio about the recovered yacht."
Britain's
The Telegraph reported that Bajorat was last seen in 2009 and a friend told the German newspaper Bild that the adventurer contacted him on his birthday last year through social media. Photographs were found on the yacht along with what appeared to a tribute to Bajorat's late ex-wife Claudia.
"Thirty years we've been together on the same path," the note read. "Then the power of the demons was stronger than the will to live. You're gone. May your soul find its peace. Your Manfred."
The Sun said the couple began traveling in 2008 but eventually broke up. She later died of cancer.
The German embassy in Manila, has been notified and is now trying to locate Bajorat's family, noted The Sun.
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