A FULL-SCALE search was carried out in the Bere peninsula area over the Easter period for a sailor who went missing from his boat at Weir Quay.

Keith Smith, 63, from Slapton, near Kingsbridge was last heard of on Wednesday, April 8 when he called his wife at 9am from the boat ? the Maid of Slapton ? to say he was ?safe and well?.

When he failed to return home on Thursday night from his overnight sailing trip his wife contacted police, and a search team involving police, coastguards, RNLI rescue boats and RAF and police helicopters began scouring the local area, including the River Tavy and further down the Tamar, from first light on Friday. MOD launches also assisted.

The coastguard and RNLI searches were called off at around lunchtime on Good Friday, but police continued their inquiries.

Mr Smith had had a mooring at Weir Quay since March. His car ? a purple Citroen ? was found parked outside Weir Quay Boatyard and his personal belongings were found on board the boat. The tender was tied alongside the yacht.

A police spokesperson said: ?We are keeping an open mind as to the circumstances surrounding his disappearance. We have conducted house-to-house enquiries and are following up a number of calls from members of the public following appeals for information, but are having to consider the possibility that he may have gone overboard.

?Every day the chances of finding him alive are diminishing. Divers went down in the area around the boat on Saturday but found nothing.?

Mr Smith?s failure to return home or contact his wife was ?completely out of character?, the spokesperson said.

Anyone with any information which may help in the search for the missing sailor is asked to contact the police on 08452 777444.