Fears are mounting for the well-being of a 60-year-old Dublin sailing enthusiast after his yacht was discovered drifting off the coast of Co Antrim late last night.
Mr John Mc Cune is known to have been sailing in the vicinity of the north Antrim coast for about a week but an alarm was raised after his 17-foot yacht was discovered unmanned at around 1 a.m. this morning.
An immediate sea and air search was launched using a helicopter from Dublin coastguard and an RAF Nimrod along with local lifeboats from Red Bay near Larne.
The search resumed this morning with RUC officers assisting on land, but the sea and air units have been withdrawn.