Search for missing fishermen from Purbeck Isle called off

The search for two fishermen missing off the Dorset coast has been called off, after a life-raft was found on-board the wreck of their boat.

Coastguards were working on the possibility that the remaining two missing crew members from Purbeck Isle could have taken to the on-board raft.

The body of one of its three crewmen was found on Friday evening.

Dorset Police have confirmed the man who died was David McFarlane, 35, the skipper of the crabber.

Survey ship Odyssey Explorer discovered the wreck lying 10 miles off Portland at a depth of 50m.

'Time now passed'

Coastguards began an extensive search after the vessel was reported missing from Weymouth at about 18:00 BST on Thursday.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said it had received no communication from the crew before the boat disappeared.

The agency said a Remotely Operated Vehicle on-board Odyssey Explorer had entered an area of the fishing boat and found the life-raft.

Mark Rodaway, of Portland Coastguard, said: "After a prolonged and extensive three-day search, sadly, the time has now passed when we could have hoped that the two remaining crew members from the Purbeck Isle would be found alive.

"Our thoughts are with the families of all three crewmen at this difficult time."