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| Missing ferry couple in Belgium | Missing ferry couple in Belgium |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Two ferry passengers who sparked a major air and sea search when they went missing from a cross-Channel P&O vessel have turned up in Belgium. | Two ferry passengers who sparked a major air and sea search when they went missing from a cross-Channel P&O vessel have turned up in Belgium. |
| The man and woman did not board their coach when the Pride of Kent ferry docked in Calais on Monday morning. | The man and woman did not board their coach when the Pride of Kent ferry docked in Calais on Monday morning. |
| But there appeared to have been a misunderstanding, as Kent Police said they had told the Polish driver they would not be getting back on the coach. | But there appeared to have been a misunderstanding, as Kent Police said they had told the Polish driver they would not be getting back on the coach. |
| Officers have now spoken to the passengers over the phone from Belgium. | Officers have now spoken to the passengers over the phone from Belgium. |
| Vessel searched | Vessel searched |
| They were identified by the coach company as Frugoni Alessandro and Daniella Abieu, both aged between 20 and 25. | They were identified by the coach company as Frugoni Alessandro and Daniella Abieu, both aged between 20 and 25. |
| "We are now in the process of confirming their identities," a Kent Police statement said. | "We are now in the process of confirming their identities," a Kent Police statement said. |
| A seven-hour search involving Dover Coastguard, the RNLI and the French Navy began at 0300 GMT on Monday, amid fears they might have gone overboard. | |
| The ferry had arrived in Calais from Dover at 0130 GMT, and its crew scoured the vessel twice when the pair were reported missing. | The ferry had arrived in Calais from Dover at 0130 GMT, and its crew scoured the vessel twice when the pair were reported missing. |
| Their coach, operated by Eurobusexpress, had joined the Pride of Kent at Dover and was heading for Brussels and Amsterdam. | Their coach, operated by Eurobusexpress, had joined the Pride of Kent at Dover and was heading for Brussels and Amsterdam. |
| One-way tickets | One-way tickets |
| Andy Roberts, of Dover Coastguard, said the pair had been seen on board just after it set sail. | Andy Roberts, of Dover Coastguard, said the pair had been seen on board just after it set sail. |
| The managing director of Eurobusexpress said they bought one-way tickets to Brussels shortly before boarding the coach in London at 2100 GMT on Sunday. | The managing director of Eurobusexpress said they bought one-way tickets to Brussels shortly before boarding the coach in London at 2100 GMT on Sunday. |
| Gerard Hagen said there were eight passengers on board, but only six by the time the coach driver was ready to leave Calais. | Gerard Hagen said there were eight passengers on board, but only six by the time the coach driver was ready to leave Calais. |
| "They (the missing couple) only had hand luggage, which is not unusual. No luggage was left on the coach," he said. | "They (the missing couple) only had hand luggage, which is not unusual. No luggage was left on the coach," he said. |
| "We've been doing this for 15 years and it's the first time anything has happened like this." | "We've been doing this for 15 years and it's the first time anything has happened like this." |
| Dover Coastguard said it had been their biggest search operation this year. |