Toronto Man Pleads Guilty After Being Found Adrift in Atlantic

A 31-year-old man from Toronto has pleaded guilty in a Nova Scotia court to theft and possession of stolen property after being found alone and adrift at sea in the Atlantic Ocean. Mohammad Yazed Saleh admitted in Port Hawkesbury provincial court that he stole a truck and a boat before his dramatic encounter with authorities off the province’s coast.

According to court information and police reports, Saleh drove a stolen Ford F-150 pickup truck with Ontario licence plates—reported stolen from Alberta—to a marina in D’Escousse on Cape Breton Island. There, surveillance footage showed him taking a white cabin cruiser without permission and departing from the marina.

Several days later, Fisheries and Oceans Canada officers conducting an aerial patrol spotted the vessel drifting east of Sable Island. At that time, no one was seen on board, and communication attempts were unsuccessful. A coordinated response involving the Canadian Coast Guard, Joint Rescue Coordination Centre and RCMP Marine Security teams was launched due to concerns about the individual’s safety and the ongoing investigation into the theft.

On September 30, the Coast Guard and RCMP boarded the vessel, found Saleh on board, and took him into custody. He was assessed for medical needs and later transported to shore by authorities. Both the stolen boat and truck were seized as part of the ongoing investigation.

Saleh’s guilty plea comes as part of charges that include theft and possession of property obtained by crime, with further legal proceedings expected to determine his sentence. The case has drawn attention for its unusual circumstances involving a theft that ended with a man alone at sea.