British sailor still missing in Pacific 15 hours after falling from boat

A British sailor is missing in the Pacific after falling from his 38ft boat 500 miles from the nearest land.

The US coastguard said the 35-year-old man was conscious and wearing a lifejacket when he fell but had not been found after 15 hours of searching.

Another man, also British and described as an inexperienced sailor, was hoisted from the ship by a rescue helicopter.

Coastguard spokesman Eric Chandler said the marine rescue co-ordination centre in Falmouth told their US counterparts in Hawaii that a man was overboard 2,000 miles west of the Hawaiian island of Oahu and 500 miles from Midway Atoll.

The Pacific News Centre website said there were winds of 25mph and 6ft waves at the time of the incident.

Mr Chandler said the conditions were too rough for them to launch their own boats, adding: “It’s real challenging out there.” He said a HC-130 Hercules plane was searching for the man and a US navy warship had been diverted to the area to help.