A MAN from North Wales has been found dead in his boat while taking part in his latest fundraising challenge.

Michael Holt, 54, originally from Porthmadog, but had been living in the Wirral, was rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic from Spain’s Gran Canaria to Barbados.

Michael set off on January 25, 2024, from Grand Canaria in his boat ‘True Blue’. The voyage was expected to take 55 days ending in Port St Charles in Barbados.

Writing on his justgiving page, Michael said:  "I will be rowing for over 16 hours a day and will survive on under four hours of sleep per day. This voyage could take from 50 - 110 days to complete.

"I will be 54 when I begin the voyage, and by then, I will have been training for over two years."

Michael, who had who had Type 1 diabetes, was raising money for Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services (LCVS) which works to support Liverpool’s voluntary communities. 

Michael was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 1997, and in 2015, was involved in a self-inflicted incident which resulted in double reconstructed shoulder surgery. This was because of a major low blood sugar hypoglycaemic attack (Hypo).

It is understood that Michael became ill last week and was making his way to Cape Verde when communication with the 54-year-old stopped. 

On Sunday evening, his brother, David, posted on Facebook. He said: "We have been working tirelessly to get help to Michael over the past four days but have found it incredibly difficult to do so.

"Last night the fishing vessel Noruego accepted a tasking from Cape Verde Joint Rescue Coordination Centre and made directly for Michael's coordinates.

"Very sadly, upon arrival, Michael was found dead inside his cabin.

"Of course this was not the ultimate conclusion we were looking for, but I am somewhat comforted knowing he died doing something he absolutely wanted to do with a passion and managed to row in excess of 700 miles in the process. An achievement in itself.

"This is a huge shock to myself, his wife Lynne and daughter Scarlett and my parents, not to mention wider family and friends."

According to Michael's gofundme page he had raised over £3,000 for LCVS.