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Hopes fade for dead boy's father Search for dead boy's father ends
(about 4 hours later)
Coastguards searching for the father of a two-year-old boy who died after being found floating in the English Channel say hopes he is alive are fading. An air-and-sea search for a missing father whose two-year-old son was found floating in the English Channel has been called off.
The search for Alan Watkins, 50, from south-east London, resumed at 0600 BST after his son was found off Littlehampton, West Sussex. The search for Alan Watkins, 50, from Southwark, south-east London, began after his son Arun was found off Littlehampton, West Sussex, on Sunday.
"It is unlikely anyone would survive given the sea conditions," said coastguard spokesman Ross Greenhill. His 5ft-long dinghy, containing nappies and a child's armbands, was found drifting in the sea close by.
The boy died in Worthing Hospital two hours after he was found on Sunday. Arun died in Worthing Hospital two hours after he was found.
Sunblock suit Sussex Police said it was thought Arun was with his father when he went missing.
Police said Mr Watkins and his son were reported missing by his wife last night and a caravanette registered to him was found in Sea Road, Littlehampton. Survival time in the water at this time of year is probably about 20 minutes Ross Bowman, lifeboat helmsman
Det Chief Insp Adam Hibbert said that contrary to earlier reports, the boy, who has not yet been named officially, was not wearing any buoyancy aid but had on a sunblock suit. A member of the public is believed to have seen them entering the sea on their dinghy at Sea Road, Littlehampton, between 1630 and 1700 BST.
Ross Bowman, a helmsman on one of the lifeboats used in the search, said it was doubtful Mr Watkins would be found alive.
He told the BBC: "It's been a long time. Survival time in the water at this time of year is probably about 20 minutes."
Police said Mr Watkins and his son were reported missing by his wife late on Sunday night and a caravanette registered to him was found parked in Sea Road.
Lifeboats have been searching the area outside Littlehampton Marina
Det Chief Insp Adam Hibbert said Arun had on a sunblock suit but was not wearing a buoyancy aid.
He said police were working on a "number of hypotheses" as to the circumstances of the incident, including that of the parents' domestic situation.He said police were working on a "number of hypotheses" as to the circumstances of the incident, including that of the parents' domestic situation.
"We had to deliver a terrible piece of news to the boy's mum last night and she is having to deal with that," he said."We had to deliver a terrible piece of news to the boy's mum last night and she is having to deal with that," he said.
Lifeboats have been searching the area outside Littlehampton Marina
"It would be wrong of us to run in and ask her so many questions so quickly.""It would be wrong of us to run in and ask her so many questions so quickly."
It is thought the family visited the Littlehampton area last year but it is not known if they had any other local connections.It is thought the family visited the Littlehampton area last year but it is not known if they had any other local connections.
He said a dinghy found about 400 yards from where the child was discovered by two men in a yacht contained provisions including nappies. The search on land and sea for Mr Watkins has included lifeboats, a helicopter and dogs.
Three coastguard rescue teams resumed searching the area outside Littlehampton Marina on Monday morning. Coastguard spokesman Ross Greenhill said an extensive search of the coast had been made.
Mr Greenhill said two lifeboats were being stood down but a helicopter would return to search the area during the afternoon at low water. "Our search is now not expected to resume unless further information comes to light," he said.
Sussex Police said its specialist search team and the West Sussex Fire and Rescue Technical Rescue Team would continue to make further searches of the coast over the next 24 hours.