Unmanned damaged RIB sparks sea and air search

Wednesday 20th April 2011, 2:57PM BST.

The unmanned RIB discovered by a yacht eight miles west of Ronez Picture: Charlotte Sayers

A MAJOR air and sea search was launched yesterday after a boat was found adrift and sinking with no one aboard, eight miles off Jersey’s west coast.

The 5.5-metre RIB was discovered semi-submerged and upside down by a passing yacht. A pair of trainers was found floating nearby.

A search involving the Channel Islands Air Search plane, both St Helier lifeboats, Guernsey’s St Peter Port lifeboat and several Jersey and Guernsey yachts was launched.

But the search, which covered an area of 25 square nautical miles, was called off two hours later after it was established that no one was in the sea and that no one had been reported missing.

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