A 27-ft yacht under full canvas and flying the Stars and Stripes has been found aground between Falster and Møn in Denmark, with police fearing the crew may have fallen overboard.

The South Zealand and Lolland-Falster police are searching an area in Hjelm Bay south of Møn.

“We are afraid that someone has fallen overboard as the yacht had all its sails up,” a police spokesman says.

"Indications are that there was one person on board," the Admiral Fleet Denmark tells politiken.dk.

"The weather is not that good down there at the moment," the spokesman added, saying that a 10-12 meter per scond wind was blowing from the west with low cloud cover.

Confirming that the vessel was flying the U.S. flag, he added that the search would be continuing for some time now.

Two helicopters and three vessels are taking part in the search.

The vessel has been towed into Klintholm Harbour in the south of Møn where police have been looking for clues as to the owners.

“Among other things we have found a computer and we are now trying to find the vessel’s American owner,” the police spokesman says.

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