A diver remains missing after a coastguard search near a major shipping lane.

Helicopters and RNLI lifeboats scoured waters off the coast of Sussex. A diver is believed to have come separated from their group shortly before 2pm on Saturday.

Crews continued to search the waters near Hastings long into the evening but were unable to find the diver.

The search, near the Dover Straight shipping lane, was halted around 11pm yesterday evening.

Lifeboat crews from Hastings, Eastbourne and Dungeness were called to the waters in the early afternoon to aid the search with nearby vessels also helping to look for the diver.

A spokesman for Dungeness Lifeboat Station said: “Yesterday Solent Coastguard requested the launch of our Shannon-class lifeboat in response to a missing diver on the edge of the shipping lanes ten miles south of Hastings.

“The lifeboat made best speed and arrived on scene to assist with the search alongside Eastbourne RNLI, Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat, two helicopters and three fixed-wing aircraft from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency as well as multiple commercial and private vessels transiting the shipping lanes who also responded to the distress call.

“An extensive multi-vessel search was carried out into the night and at 11pm, with nothing found, all assets were stood down and returned to station.

“Our thoughts are with the diver’s family and friends at this difficult time.”

A coastguard spokeswoman also confirmed that the search, which began at around 1.50pm, was stood down at 11pm.

The agency previously confirmed that an inshore lifeboat, coastguard helicopter and coastguard aircraft were involved in the search.

The air and sea search took place close to the Dover Strait shipping lane, one of the busiest in the world.