A large scale search and rescue operation was launched after reports of a person in the water to the west of the Isle of Wight last night (Wednesday).
Yarmouth RNLI’s All-Weather lifeboat was launched at around 20:45 when reports were received of a person in difficulty in the vicinity of Hurst Spit – the narrowest part of the Solent.
Coastguard Rescue 175 helicopter was also scrambled to the area from its base at Lee-on-Solent, with the assistance of Royal Marines in the area also called upon.
The Needles Coastguard Rescue Team were then drafted in to conduct a search from the shore, as were Lymington CRT.
The air, land and sea search – which also involved Lymington RNLI – continued for several hours and moved up the Solent, but Yarmouth Lifeboat returned to station around midnight.
UPDATE THURSDAY – It has been confirmed that the search was called off at midnight with nothing found.
Enquiries continue.
UPDATE THURSDAY @ 15:10 – The body of a man in his 80s has been found in the water off Yarmouth just hours after a major search was called off.
Read more at islandecho.co.uk/body-found-off-yarmouth-just-12-hours-after-major-search
Regrettably we were returning from a sailing trip and came across the man at 11:00am this morning NE of Yarmouth. The gentleman was face down and barely visible.
We kept station with him until a helicopter and RNLI arrived to recover.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.
From the skipper and crew of Wolverine.