Missing ferry couple found in Belgium

A couple whose disappearance from a cross-Channel ferry sparked an international air and sea search have been found in Belgium.

The alarm was raised at around 3am after they failed to board their Eurobus express coach when it arrived in Calais.

Coastguards, a spotter plane, two helicopters, a French navy frigate, an RNLI lifeboat and rescue services from the Continent went into action fearing the couple had gone overboard from the P&O ferry Pride Of Kent.

The emergency services were alerted when the ferry's captain alerted Dover coastguard, who then contacted the French authorities at Cap Gris Nez.

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesman said this afternoon the search had been called off but added: "An operation of this scale would have cost tens of thousands of pounds."

They bought one-way tickets from London to Brussels shortly before they the coach left Victoria Coach Station at 9pm last night.

There were eight passengers on board the coach which was bound for Brussels and Amsterdam.

Mr Hagen said: "By the time the driver arrived in Calais there were only six passengers. Two passengers didn't show up. Our courier and driver both reported this to P&O staff who carried out a search of the boat and didn't find anybody.

"They only had hand luggage, which is not unusual. No luggage was left on the coach."