LIFEBOAT crews were sent to search for a person in the water yesterday evening (Monday, April 3) after a Man Overboard (MOB) device was triggered off the East Wight coast.

Bembridge's all-weather and inshore lifeboats were launched around 9.45pm, heading toward the alert location just south-east of the station in the Nab Anchorage. 

The all-weather vessel searched the area, while the inshore craft remained at the shoreline due to unsuitable weather conditions and searched the Whitecliff Bay/Black Rock area.

With nothing found, the UK Coastguard stood down both boats, which returned safely to Bembridge Station by 10.45pm.

It is further understood that the owner of the MOB device has been located at their home by the Coastguard, so it is expected that an equipment failure transmitted a false alert and a false location.