A passenger on this evening's last flight from Manchester reported seeing a dinghy with two people on board waving at the aeroplane as it approached Douglas before turning south to the airport at Ronaldsway.
The RNLI all-weather lifeboat Sir William Hillary launched under the command of volunteer Coxswain Neal Corran for the second time today and following instructions from Belfast Coastguard who were liaising with Air Traffic Control proceeded to search the area under and in the vicinity of the aircraft's flight path.
After a two hour search, with nothing found and with no reports of missing persons the lifeboat was stood down by Belfast Coastguard to return to station where the lifeboat was re-housed and was made ready again for service by 1.20am.
Notes to editors
Caption for one attached photo: RNLI Douglas lifeboat launching this evening
RNLI media contacts
For more information please contact Michael Howland, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07624 496029 or email [email protected] or Eleri Roberts, Divisional Media Relations Manager (Wales and West) on 07771 941390 or 01745 585162. Alternatively contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
