Cops seek help finding elderly Pickering boater missing eight months

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It’s now been eight months since an elderly Pickering man vanished without a trace after boarding his sailboat in Frenchman’s Bay.

And Durham Regional Police are still trying to uncover what happened to 87-year-old Manfred, who goes by Fred and whose surname has not been released, as a new boating season gets under way.

Officers were sent to the senior’s home near Bayly St. and St Martins Dr. – west of Liverpool Rd. – to conduct a well-being check on Oct. 2, 2023.

“An investigation began after officers were unable to locate the male in his home,” Sgt. Joanne Bortoluss said Wednesday.

“Officers have been able to determine that the occupant left his home on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023 and attended Frenchman’s Bay Marina in Pickering where he boarded his sailboat at approximately 12:30 p.m.,” she said. “He has not been heard from or seen since.”

“Police and Fred’s family are asking the public to stay vigilant on the waterways this summer as the search for any information leading up to his disappearance continues,” Bortoluss added.

Investigators have released photos of Manfred and his sailboat in the hopes that members of the public can help locate them.

Manfred is described as white, 5-foot-10, with a medium build and grey hair. He was last seen wearing an orange and red hat, blue shirt, and beige pants.

His sailboat, Passat, is described as 25 feet with a blue hull and Ontario ID 50E99759.

Anyone with information is asked to contact their local police service, Durham Regional Police at 1-888-579-1520, ext. 2541, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

cdoucette@postmedia.com

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