Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of a boat which sparked a huge search operation which went on for half the night.

Coastguards, a lifeboat and a search and rescue helicopter were involved in searching for the motor boat with seven people on board - including five children - which had been heading towards Weymouth.

Rescuers are now asking for the public to look out for the vessel that remains unaccounted for.

The 24ft-long Sunseeker vessel named Solitude, with a white hull and a blue top, had been making its way from Poole towards Weymouth over the last few days.

It first came to the attention of rescuers on Wednesday evening when it was in danger of running aground on the beach at Swanage after dragging its anchor.

Swanage inshore lifeboat towed it into deeper water while the crew of the all-weather lifeboat offered advice resulting in the boat being escorted into the shelter of Poole Harbour where it was able to pick up a mooring.

As a result of the incident, those on board were told to keep the Coastguard operations room updated on its movements.

It then set off for Weymouth on Thursday but appears to have run into difficulty off Kimmeridge later in the day, possibly experiencing engine trouble. It is understood it overcame these difficulties and set off for Weymouth - but it didn't arrive at its destination and Coastguards haven't been informed of its whereabouts.

Wyke Coastguard Rescue Team was alerted at 9.30pm on Thursday. Checks of the CCTV at Weymouth Marinas and Portland Port revealed that it had not arrived. The team then checked vessels in the inner and outer harbour at Weymouth before conducting a shoreline search from the Pleasure Pier to Bowleaze but nothing was found. The team searched until just after midnight.

Weymouth Lifeboat then launched at 12.30am and the coastguard helicopter was scrambled about an hour later.

Dorset Echo:

Search pattern of search and rescue helicopter

 

A spokesman for Weymouth Lifeboat said: "The vessel with two adults and five children onboard was believed to be making its way to Weymouth from Shell Bay, Poole where it had been towed by Swanage lifeboat the day before after running aground near Swanage.

"The vessel had last been seen at St Alban's Head at 6pm on Thursday by the National Coastwatch Institution and was making laboured progress south of Kimmeridge.

"Checks by Coastguard teams revealed it had not arrived (at Weymouth).

"The lifeboat carried out a shoreline search from Weymouth to St Alban's Head in case it was on the rocks, along with a two mile radar sweep, before searching by radar and eye further from the shore in a two-mile search grid.

"At 1.20am the Coastguard helicopter joined in the search carrying out an intensive offshore search.

"The Coastguard and all search assets have not been able to make radio contact with the vessel.

"At 3.40am, with a through search of the area having been completed and nothing found, the lifeboat was stood down and returned to station."

Dorset Echo:

Weymouth Lifeboat was out searching at sea for more than three hours early on Friday   Picture: Marc Martin

 

The spokesman added: "The RNLI would always advise those going to sea to inform the coastguard of where they intend to go with an estimated time of arrival and a message to them when they are safely at their destination."

Anyone who has any information regarding a vessel matching the description should contact Solent Coastguard.