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Mystery over drifting empty boat Concern grows for missing boatman
(about 6 hours later)
An empty fishing boat which is believed to have left Milford Haven on Saturday has been found drifting 30 miles off the coast of Newquay, Cornwall. Concern is growing for a man whose empty boat was found drifting off the coast of Cornwall on Monday.
A Royal Navy Sea King helicopter from RNAS Culdrose is searching the area and coastguards and the police are trying to identify the boat and its owner. The boat Midnight Oil was last seen leaving Milford Haven in west Wales on Saturday.
It was found by a Belgian fishing boat at around 1100 BST on Monday. A Royal Navy Sea King helicopter from RNAS Culdrose, the St Ives lifeboat and HMS Severn, a naval vessel, searched the area where the boat was found.
Clothing and belongings were found on board the Midnight Oil which is a converted ex-lifeboat.
It was found floating 23 miles west north west from Trevose Head by a Belgian fishing boat, the Maria Louise, at around 1115 BST.
They reported that the engine of the 40ft (12.2m) boat was cold but that they could re-start it quickly.They reported that the engine of the 40ft (12.2m) boat was cold but that they could re-start it quickly.
The helicopter has searched the area three miles in every direction from where the boat was found and is also re-tracing the possible course of the boat back to Milford Haven, said a spokesman for the RAF. The helicopter searched the area three miles in every direction from where the boat was found and re-traced the possible course of the boat back to Milford Haven, said a spokesman for the RAF.
The Belgian fishing boat is staying with the empty vessel. It is not yet known whether coastguards will want it towed back to shore. Falmouth Coastguard, who co-ordinated the search, said Midnight Oil was taken to St Ives in north Cornwall.
The spokesman said that over the weekend, winds were described as westerly blowing at about 20 to 30 knots. On Monday they were blowing at around 10 to 15 knots. The RAF spokesman said that over the weekend, winds were described as westerly blowing at about 20 to 30 knots. On Monday they were blowing at around 10 to 15 knots.
"If you are in a small boat you are going to know about it if the wind is blowing at around 20 to 30 knots," added the spokesman."If you are in a small boat you are going to know about it if the wind is blowing at around 20 to 30 knots," added the spokesman.
"At the moment details about the boat are fairly sketchy."
He described the found boat as open and with an engine and said it may have been a ship's lifeboat or a part time fisherman's vessel.