Wellington  - A novice boatie from New Zealand has been rescued from Tongan waters after his British skipper, David Parkinson, vanished three days ago.

Tongan police commander Chris Kelly told the German Press Agency dpa that Alexander McDonald, 65, was "no sailor" and spent three days helplessly floundering in circles off the east coast of Tonga's main island Tongatapu.

Kelly said that Parkinson's 40-foot sloop, Santana, had communications equipment on board, but McDonald did not know how to operate it. McDonald managed to set off the emergency beacon after three days.

"Mr McDonald was unable to sail alone and effectively went around in circles for at least three days. He attempted to recover the captain, but has been unsuccessful. Parkinson was lost at sea," Kelly said.

McDonald said he had awoken to take over the watch from the skipper, but Parkinson had disappeared.

Parkinson was an experienced sailor who also suffered from Parkinson's disease. He was a former British royal marine whose later work as a hostage negotiator inspired the Hollywood film "Proof of Life."

Parkinson's brother, Chris, told New Zealand newspaper the sunday Star-Times that the skipper wanted to sail around the world despite suffering his illness.

He set off after an experimental operation in which surgeons implanted a pacemaker in his chest that sent electrical impulses to electrodes in his brain.

The newspaper reported Sunday that McDonald and Parkinson met in Rarotonga, in the Cook Islands, after the captain's Spanish crewman left for another yacht on May 28. Parkinson needed another crewman and left with McDonald for Niue on August 6, according to Cook Island officials quoted by the newspaper.

Police had spoken with McDonald "at length," and he was now free to leave the island, Kelly said. The Santana would remain at Nuku'alofa harbour until police had completed their investigations. (dpa)