Teenager still missing after 'stolen boat' accident
Conditions deteriorated after the boys drifted out to sea
Also In The News
|
Nicolas Anelka scored in both halves to help Bolton to a 3-1 home win against Arsenal. |  |
Sunday, 26, Nov 2006 07:31
Hopes are fading over the fate of a missing teenager who was swept into the sea in the middle of last night.
Kyle Moore, a 14-year-old boy described as being of five feet and 11 inches in height, with slim build and short mousy hair, was in a rowing boat with another 14-year-old boy, whose identity remains unreleased, when the small vessel was swept out to sea in the Castletown harbour area of Portland.
The two 14-year-old boys sent a 999 distress call to Portland coastguard at 02:00 GMT, saying that they were struggling to get back to shore in a small rowing boat from the Castletown harbour area of Portland.
A lifeboat struggled to find the boys, who were swept into the sea when conditions deteriorated at about 02:45 GMT. A coastguard helicopter was then deployed to try and locate the missing teenagers in the sea.
One of the two was found at approximately 03:10 GMT by the lifeboat. He was taken to Dorset county hospital where, having been found uninjured, he was allowed to go home.
Kyle, meanwhile, remains missing and concerns are growing that he may have washed ashore.
Detective Superintendent Darren Curtis of Dorset police said: "Clearly the focus of everyone involved is on finding Kyle alive. We are concerned that he may have been washed ashore."
Meanwhile Jim Anderson, watch manager at Portland coastguard, said a 40-mile square area had been searched three times in vain.
"Throughout last night and today we have carried out an intensive search of Portland harbour and Weymouth Bay using air, sea and land-based assets. Sadly, we have been unable to locate Kyle," Mr Anderson said.
Media reports suggest that the two boys had stolen the rowing boat, but these remain unconfirmed.