Body of missing Belgian fisherman found

A French lifeboat recovered two bodies from the English Channel off the coast of Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, on Thursday afternoon, the Dutch coastguard reported. The bodies are claimed to be that of a 64-year-old Belgian and a 45-year-old Dutchman, both crew members aboard the missing Z85 Morgenster (Morning Star) fishing boat.

The first body was found around 16.30, but the identification of the body is still pending, reported the Dutch coastguard on its live blog providing updates on the search for Z85.  At 18.50, the coastguard reported that a second body had also been found. The two bodies will now be transferred to France to be identified.

There is still no trace of the two other missing crewmembers aboard the Z-85 - the Dutch skipper of the vessel and a Portuguese man. A helicopter found a life jacket from the fishing boat.

At least fifteen fishing boats, two British lifeboats, two British ships, a helicopter and a plane searched all day for the crew on Thursday. The search was suspended on Thursday after sunset. Whether and to what extent the search for the remaining missing crew members will continue on Friday is not yet known. Britain’s Dover coastguard has yet to taken a decision on it.

In a communication issued on Wednesday evening, the chances of survivors is said to be “nil”.