Lifeboat volunteers overnight search in rough conditions

Dover's RNLI lifeboat was launched late on Friday evening after white flashing lights were spotted by the P&O ferry the Spirit Of Britain about a mile off the Port Of Dover's eastern entrance.

Dover Lifeboat "City Of London II" left her berth at 2330 with a crew of seven led by Deputy 2nd Coxswain Lee Riddell in winds of 50 knots and rough sea conditions.

Dover Coastguard also launched the all weather lifeboat from Ramsgate and a RAF search and rescue helicopter.

A large area in and around the Goodwin Sands was searched by the lifeboats with nothing found.

Dover Coastguard subsequently received a message from the motor vessel Hatherly that in the atrocious sea conditions they had lost overboard a six person liferaft and it was confirmed that that was the source of the lights.

The search was then stood down with Dover Lifeboat arriving back at her berth at 0330.

Dover Lifeboat Deputy 2nd Coxswain, Lee Riddell said: "Thankfully this job turned out to be a false alarm but the volunteer crew performed brilliantly in awful and uncomfortable conditions."