Body found in Alderney after search for 53-year-old man

Keith Jones was reported missing around midday yesterday having not been seen since 2pm Sunday afternoon.

An islandwide search operation involving Guernsey Police, The Channel Islands Air Search and Alderney Emergency Services, was launched at around 4.40pm.

A body was found off the north-west coast of the island less than two hours later.

Guernsey Police said the male's identity could not be confirmed as formal identification procedures had not yet taken place but said there were no suspicious circumstances at present and that the death is being treated as unexplained.

A post mortem will be carried out in the coming days.

Alderney RNLI Station press officer Nigel Soane-Sands said the body was then discovered on Crabby Beach at 6.20pm.

'The fire brigade and St. John Ambulance personnel were tasked with recovering the body and the lifeboat and search plane were stood down at 6.30pm,' he said