The skipper of an abandoned 12m converted ship’s lifeboat is missing after the boat was discovered two days out from Milford Haven, south-west Wales.

A fishing boat, Maria Louise, raised the alarm at around 1115 Monday 30 June, having discovered the vessel, Midnight Oil, around 23 miles north-west of Trevose Head Cornwall.

The RNLI launched along with a coastguard helicopter and a Navy vessel to search the area but nothing was found.

The 80-year-old skipper of the vessel has been named as Peter Smith from Gosport. He and his son had been cruising together from Scotland down the west coast until engine troubles led them to be towed into harbour by Angle RNLI on 21 June.

Mr Smith had then spent a few days in Milford Haven getting repairs done and departed on his own on 28 June.

The police are treating the case as a ‘missing persons enquiry’.

The coastguard reported finding Mr Smith’s possessions on board the boat and the engine in working order.