Search for fisherman scaled down

A search for a man who when went missing from a fishing boat off the coast of Dorset has been scaled down.

Portland Coastguard received a Mayday call at lunchtime from a vessel off Portland saying the man, believed to be from Weymouth, had gone overboard.

A Royal Navy Lynx helicopter, four Navy vessels, a coastguard helicopter and an RNLI lifeboat searched the area for five hours but the man was not found.

The coastguard said the operation was now a "search and recovery" mission.

Clearly our thoughts and sympathies are with the family at this difficult time Mark Rodaway, Coastguard

Rescue helicopter "Whiskey Bravo" continued to search in the darkness with infra red technology but this failed to find any sign of the missing man.

Mark Rodaway, duty senior coastguard officer for Southern England, said: "Despite the intensive air and sea search throughout the afternoon and evening the missing fisherman has not been located.

"With continuing poor weather and given the cold water temperature the chance of a successful outcome is unlikely.

"Clearly our thoughts and sympathies are with the family at this difficult time."

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) spokeswoman said the search had been carried out in "near gale force winds".

Coastguard officers say the man was reported missing from the fishing vessel Portland Isle.