A passenger who fell from a luxury yacht in the English Channel – sparking a desperate search and rescue – has been found dead.
The man was recovered from the sea after a search by RNLI and Coastguard near the Rampion wind farm off Brighton.
The alarm was raised by a woman on board the vessel – believed to be a catamaran – at around 10.20 this morning.
Police said they were informed 80 minutes later.
A spokesman for the coastguard said they responded to reports of a person going overboard off Newhaven.
It is understood the man’s body was spotted by passengers on a sightseeing tour of the Rampion wind farm off Brighton.
Sussex Police said the man was found in the sea and his family have been informed.
‘At 11.40am on Sunday, police were informed by HM Coastguard that a man had been reported as having fallen overboard from a vessel off the coast of Newhaven.
The man is believed to have fallen from a catamaran near the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm (pictured, stock photo)
‘A search led by the Coastguard was carried out, and a body was recovered from the sea.
‘The man has been identified and his next of kin have been informed,’ police said.
Lifeboats from Shoreham and Newhaven, a Coastguard Rescue Helicopter, a Coastguard plane and two nearby vessels searched for the man.
‘Our thoughts are with them at this difficult time,’ a police spokesman said.
