Passenger on Clipper may have gone overboard

Concerns were raised late in the evening after a passenger failed to disembark in Jersey.

Investigations by Guernsey and Jersey Coastguards, Police and Border Agencies indicated that the person may have gone overboard at some point during the ship’s passage from Portsmouth to Guernsey during the day.

A major search operation was launched, coordinated by HM Coastguard in the UK, with support from the Guernsey and Jersey authorities.

A large area of the English Channel between the Isle of Wight and Guernsey was searched by aircraft from the UK, France, and Guernsey, including Channel Islands Air Search, but nothing was found.

‘An extensive area was searched as we did not know exactly when or where the person may have entered the water,’ said James Way, Guernsey’s assistant harbour master, in a statement released at lunchtime yesterday.

‘As the survival time for someone in the water in normal clothing has now expired, the search has been terminated.

‘Our thoughts go out to the family and friends of the missing person at this difficult time.’

A Condor Ferries spokesman said yesterday: ‘We have been working closely with all authorities to try and locate the missing passenger, which included an extensive search of Commodore Clipper following her arrival in Jersey yesterday evening. Our thoughts are with friends and family of the missing person.’

Clipper left Portsmouth shortly before 11am on Saturday morning and arrived in Guernsey shortly after 6pm. It set sail for Jersey at 7.30 and reached Elizabeth Harbour two hours later, when concerns were raised about the missing passenger.

Clipper eventually left Jersey at 1.46 on Sunday morning.