Channel fishing boat capsize: Rescued crewman dies

One man has died, a second has been rescued and a third is missing after their fishing boat capsized in the English Channel.

The vessel from Belgium overturned off Ramsgate on the Kent coast at about 23:00 GMT on Tuesday.

One person was rescued from the upturned hull at 07:30 GMT.

A second man "showing signs of life" was rescued from the sea later in the day but died in hospital, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said.

The third crewman remains unaccounted for. An extensive search involving helicopters and boats was called off for the day due to fading light.

Lifeboats from Ramsgate and Harwich had spent the day searching an area about 20 miles north east of Ramsgate, Kent. A helicopter was also used in the search.

Duty controller for the UK Coastguard, Kaimes Beasley, said: "This has been an extensive and comprehensive search.

"We are standing down the search this evening because of the fading light.

'Hypothermia risk'

"It is unlikely that the search will resume in the morning unless we get further information that will help us find the third crew member."

Mr Beasley said it would have been possible to survive in the water for about 15 hours.

But he said: "It is still the North Sea in the winter and would have been very cold.

"There is a significant risk in terms of hypothermia."

At the scene: The BBC's Simon Jones in Dover

It wasn't until first light that one of the crew members was spotted clinging to the hull. He was able to tell his rescuers that two of his colleagues were missing, prompting a major response.

Two lifeboats were involved in the search which has also involved two divers and a doctor flown in from Belgium.

After several hours a second crew member was found showing signs of life, but he later died in hospital.

The search for the third man has now been called off for the day.

Although the coastguard said it is possible for people to survive in the water at this time of year for 15 hours, hope is now fading.

The search took place off the Kent coast at Ramsgate