A sailor who was feared missing after leaving Bermuda at the end of last month has arrived safely in St Maarten.

According to the Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre duty officer, the sailing vessel Exception reached the island yesterday evening.

Concern grew for the safety of the solo mariner after he left Bermuda bound for San Juan in Puerto Rico on November 27 on board the 34ft Canadian sloop.

He was expected to arrive at his destination on December 7 but had not reported his position for some days prompting his family members to raise the alarm.

A search operation was co-ordinated by the US Coastguard and the Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre, with a US Coastguard aircraft C-130 searching the area of his last known position.

The aircraft positioned at L.F. Wade International Airport is set to return to the US early this morning.