The body of a man has been found in the search for missing kayaker Andrew Collier.

The man and a canoe were recovered from the water on Sunday afternoon 22 nautical miles south of Tyneham.

Following an extensive search coordinated by HM Coastguard, the man – believed to be 60-year-old Alistair Collier – was located in the water alongside his kayak by the coastguard fixed wing aircraft and recovered from the water by HMS Tyne and transferred to Poole Hospital by coastguard helicopter.

The search began yesterday on Saturday afternoon when race organisers raised the alarm after Mr Collier failed to finish a race, which was running between Knoll Beach and Swanage Pier.

An extensive search was carried out Saturday, overnight and throughout Sunday with RNLI lifeboats from Swanage, Poole, Yarmouth, Mudeford, Bembridge and Weymouth, along with Coastguard Rescue Teams from Swanage, St Albans, Kimmeridge and Lulworth and Dorset Police. Coastguard helicopters from Lee-on-Solent, St Athan and Newquay searched overnight and the coastguard fixed wing aircraft was brought in on Sunday morning as the search area widened.

Formal identification has not yet taken place, but Alistair’s family have been informed and the coroner has been notified.

A spokesman for Dorset Police said: "We would like to thank everyone who assisted in the search and who has shared the appeal."

Around 15 kayakers were involved in the event which took place between Knoll Beach and Swanage.

A spokesman for HM Coastguard said they were alerted to the missing kayaker at 1.45pm on Saturday.

He added: “He was last seen about half way through the race and the alarm was raised when the organisers realised he had not finished.”

All other participants returned at the end of the race except Mr Collier.


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Lifeboat search

A RNLI spokesman said: “The alarm was raised as the kayaker was overdue and unaccounted for, conditions off Studland Bay were quite rough, with north easterly winds gusting 5 to 6.”

He added: “The D’ Class from Poole returned to station at 7pm. It had saturated the area from Studland along Old Harry with crew put ashore searching the caves and areas under and around Old Harry Rocks, as night fell and with the worsening conditions, the D' class was stood down.”