SEARCH FOR MISSING YACHTSMAN

Rescue services have launched an air and sea search after an unmanned yacht was found drifting off the East Antrim coast.

Lifeboats and helicopters are combing the sea off Red Bay, five miles north of the port of Larne, to try and trace the whereabouts of the 60-year-old Dublin yachtsman who had been on board.

Members of the Red Bay lifeboat team who found evidence on board the 17ft boat that it had recently been occupied raised the alarm.

HM Coastguard has established that the man was last seen on board some days previously.

However, it is not known if the helmsman was on board the yacht yesterday or if he had fallen overboard.