A missing yachtsmen whose body was found nine days after his disappearance from a Mullion cove died of unknown causes, a coroner has ruled.

David Taylor was living on the yacht Grey Seal at the time he disappeared. An inquest in Truro heard that, despite being a relatively inexperienced sailor, Mr Taylor had bought the boat the previous week and planned to sail it around the coast of the Lizard Peninsula and onto Bristol, where he was due to appear as a witness in a court case - described by his mother Dylys, from Ross on Wye, as "quite a serious case."

His disappearance on September 26 last year sparked a massive search, involving police, the coastguard and RNLI lifeboat teams, after the yacht was found deserted and anchored but with its engine running. The 45-year-old's body was later spotted washed up at Polbean Cove near Mullion by resident Diane Dyckhoff.

The inquest heard that Mr Taylor had not long returned from Hong Kong, where he had been living with his girlfriend. The couple had become engaged, but the relationship failed on their return to England and they split.

He was divorced from his wife, although the couple had two children together. He had been suffering from a liver complaint and also sporadic but severe piercing headaches, described as being like "electric shocks."

Robin Leach, the previous owner of Grey Seal, told the inquest that Mr Taylor had contacted him about purchasing the yacht after seeing the details in an advertisement. They arranged to meet on September 16, when Mr Taylor gave Mr Leach and his wife the money in cash.

"He told us on the day we met that he did not have much sailing experience, but had a friend. We both felt concerned he took the boat out alone, but were happy that he said an experienced sailor would be with him. That was the last we heard of him," explained Mr Leach.

Despite this, it was concluded that Mr Taylor had been sailing on his own at the time of his death.

Nicholas Bailey, a ferryman on the Helford River, said that Mr Taylor had moored the yacht in the Helford Passage between September 20 and 22, as bad weather was preventing him from starting the trip around the Lizard Peninsula. He added that Mr Taylor had told him that the yacht's onboard radio was not working properly, as it would transmit but not receive.

A number of witnesses said that they had seen what appeared to be a stationary yacht in the sea off Poldhu, near Mullion, on the day that Mr Taylor disappeared. Desmond Oates, who had been walking his dog at around 8.30am, described the conditions as "clear but with a strong wind." He said: "I thought it was not the best place to be in those conditions. The boat was tossing about like a cork. I thought the boat was empty but then I saw a figure. I remember going along my walk thinking the person out there would be mad to be out."

Anthony Oliver, from the Penlee Lifeboat, confirmed that when the lifeboat was sent out to investigate a report of an empty yacht they found the boat to be "pitching and rolling" in the water.

Summing up the case, corner Mr Van Den Berg said: "The difficulty about this case, I think, is two-fold. The first is that in what circumstances did David Taylor enter the water? I'm afraid there isn't an answer to that. The second, which is connected, is what actually caused his death?"

Dr Rolf Hohler, consultant pathologist, was unable to determine a cause of death, saying it was "most likely" that Mr Taylor drowned, but he could not rule out natural causes.

For that reason, Mr Van Den Berg recorded an open verdict, adding: "I understand how said it is for the relatives of David Taylor. My sympathies go out to you."