Fishing vessel search restarts

A search has resumed for a missing fishing vessel with one man onboard off the Essex coast.

The 40ft (12m) steel-hulled fishing boat Louisa failed to return to Leigh-on-Sea after conditions worsened at sea on Monday afternoon.

Coastguards said it was skippered by a 47-year-old local man who is an experienced sailor.

Rescue teams searched off the coast near Shoeburyness using flares until late into Monday evening.

A Thames Coastguard spokesman said the emergency services were alerted at 1500 GMT on Monday by the father of the Louisa's skipper.

"He had spoken to his son, at 1245 GMT as the weather worsened, who said he was returning to shore due to the conditions, but did not arrive back at Leigh-On-Sea."