Air and sea search launched for missing diver

A diver has been reported missing off Hastings

An air and sea search is under way for a diver who has been reported missing off the coast of Hastings.

The Hastings, Eastbourne and Dungeness lifeboats are at the scene with a coastguard helicopter and aircraft.

The alert was raised at 13:25 BST, a spokesman for the lifeboat charity the RNLI said.

Coastguards said that vessels in the area were also searching for the missing person.

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokeswoman said: "A search for a missing diver, involving Hastings RNLI inshore lifeboat, a coastguard helicopter and a coastguard fixed wing aircraft, as well as vessels in the area, is currently ongoing off Hastings."

In a further update on Saturday evening, she said the Eastbourne and Dungeness lifeboats had also joined the search, which was still under way at 19:00 BST.