A SEARCH has been resumed to find a possible second person after a man’s body was found off the coast of Brighton.

The body was recovered after a major search was launched yesterday afternoon when an empty dinghy was discovered drifting off Lancing.

The inflatable vessel, which contained a shopping trolley as well as a mobile phone and items of clothing, was found at 1.30pm.

Authorities have resumed their search this morning for a possible second person in the sea.

The Argus:

Brighton RNLI said: “Yesterday our lifeboat was launched at 2pm along with Shoreham Lifeboat after a dinghy was found by a passing vessel out at sea.

“Our crews were out searching until 11pm when the search was postponed. At 6am today the search has recommenced.”

The Coastguard helicopter was launched yesterday and scanned the water from above while team members on land patrolled the coastline on quad bikes and scanned the sea with binoculars.

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokeswoman confirmed that RNLI lifeboats from Shoreham and Brighton had been sent to search the area while the chopper had been called from Lee-on-the-Solent.

The Argus:

Yesterday evening, Sussex Police confirmed that members of RNLI Shoreham had recovered the body of a man off Brighton beach.

Police were called to assist lifeboat and Coastguard crews at 5.11pm.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "The body has been identified by next of kin, and police officers are supporting family members.

"This is linked to an earlier call in relation to an unoccupied dinghy floating off Lancing at 1.30pm."