Police name dead yachtsmen

Police today named two men whose bodies were recovered from the English Channel after their yacht mysteriously disappeared.

The bodies of Rupert Saunders, 36, of Louisville Road, Tooting, south London, and Jason Downer, 35, of The Parade, Broadstairs, Kent, were pulled from the sea following a massive coastguard search.

They were spotted by the coastguard in the Channel, five miles south of St Catherine's Point, Isle of Wight, late on Wednesday afternoon.

They were found after a major search involving coastguard helicopters, navy warships, police marine launches and lifeboats.

The body of friend James Meaby, 36, of Okeburn Road, Tooting, was found on Tuesday morning.

A police spokeswoman said the bodies were clothed in yachting gear with lifejackets.

The three men are believed to have left Bembridge, Isle of Wight, on Sunday evening to sail to Devon for the Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta.

Their yacht, the 25ft Sailfish sloop Ouzo, which was owned and skippered by Mr Saunders, has not been found.

Solent coastguard Mark Rodaway said the search for the Ouzo was called off yesterday evening.

He added: "There have been a number of items salvaged from the search area but nothing that we can prove belongs to that vessel."

Mr Rodaway said the cause of the disappearance of the yacht was still not clear but possibilities included it being in collision with a large ship or a submerged container.

He said: "There are a number of potential scenarios but anything at this time would be pure conjecture."

The police spokeswoman said that post-mortem examinations were due to be carried out in the next few days to establish causes of death.