A man has been reported missing after setting sail from Vannøya, near Tromsø, to Longyearbyen on Svalbard over a week ago.

The last confirmed contact with him was on the morning of September 13th.

Despite being an experienced sailor, having completed the journey over 40 times, he has not been heard from since.

The Norwegian Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (HRS) is leading a challenging search operation across vast sea areas, deploying three rescue helicopters from Longyearbyen, Banak, and Tromsø.

Authorities have urged ships and helicopters in the region to report any sightings.

The search is complicated by the expansive area and the time elapsed since his departure.