BODY DISCOVERY CONFIRMED AS CAR FOUND AT BASE OF CLIFF

The body of missing Totland man Ian Fisk has been discovered after a vehicle was found at the foot of a cliff in the West Wight this afternoon (Saturday). Resources from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary, HM Coastguard and WightSAR – the Island’s voluntary search and rescue service – were called into action and deployed to the West Wight this afternoon in the search for Ian, who had been missing since yesterday afternoon (Friday). Boots on the ground focused on the area near the Freshwater Bay Golf Club whilst the National Police Air Service Helicopter (NPAS) from Redhill – and the RNLI lifeboat from Yarmouth – assisted from the air and the sea respectively. Following an extensive search of the coast between Brook and Freshwater, Island Echo understands that a vehicle was located at the foot of the cliff near Compton at around 14:00. The A3055/Military Road has been closed between the junctions with Afton Road/Gate Lane and the Compton Bay Car Park whilst the incident remains ongoing. Public footpaths along the stretch have also been closed. Ian was last seen on The Avenue in Totland at around 16:45 on Friday afternoon. It’s unknown when his car left the carriageway on the coastal route. As part of their appeal, Police had been looking for Ian’s vehicle – a blue Mini Cooper. A spokesperson for Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary has confirmed that although formal identification has not yet taken place, Ian’s next of kin have been informed of the sad developments.