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No chance that baby who fell from ferry is still alive, say coastguards No baby on Belfast ferry, say police
(40 minutes later)
The Belfast Coastguard has ruled out any chance of finding a missing baby alive in the waters of the Irish Sea. Northern Ireland police say there was no baby on board the ferry a woman fell off last night.
The child, believed to be only a few days old, and its mother fell into the sea from a Stena ferry en route to Belfast on Wednesday night. It had been reported that a child, believed to be only a few days old, had fallen into the sea along with its mother from a Stena ferry on en route into Belfast Lough on Wednesday night.
A land and sea search resumed at 8am on Thursday around Belfast Lough after searches were called off late on Wednesday. The woman was recovered from the water after about 15 minutes by crew from the ferry's pilot boat and was treated at Belfast's Royal Victoria hospital.
The baby's mother was recovered after about 15 minutes by crew from the ferry's pilot boat and was being treated at Belfast's Royal Victoria hospital. The passenger who raised the alarm later cast doubt on the reports that there was a child with her, saying he did not see a child fall into the water.
The coastguard watch officer Jude McNiece said the search and rescue operation would end soon and the teams in the lough would focus on recovering the body. He told the Belfast News Letter that he did spot an empty pram close to the area on the Stena Line boat where the woman went into the sea.
"We've got no chance of finding the child alive after 18 hours, so we will be handing over to the police for the recovery phase," McNeice said.
She thanked members of the public who had been helping with the search, but said it was better to leave it to the emergency services.
"It is a fairly dangerous stretch of coastline," she said. "We know your intentions are very good, but please don't turn up to join in the search."
A passenger who alerted the crew about the fall told the Belfast News Letter that he saw an empty pram close to the area on the ferry from where the woman went into the sea.
"I was on the same side of the ferry at the time, but was looking in the other direction when I heard the splash," he said."I was on the same side of the ferry at the time, but was looking in the other direction when I heard the splash," he said.
"When I looked around, I could see a person in the water, but I couldn't tell if it was a woman or a man, from where I was at. But I definitely could not see a baby in the water. I ran straight into the desk and raised the alarm, that there was a man overboard." "When I looked around, I could see a person in the water, but I could tell if it was a woman or a man, from where I was at.
He added: "I have heard reports on the news that a baby was seen falling into the water, I don't know think anyone witnessed it, but I couldn't see a baby. There was a empty pram on the deck with a mobile phone in it, but I don't know who owned it" "But I definitely could not see a baby in the water.
Thursday morning's search focused on the area between Holywood and Hazelbank on the north shore of the lough. "I ran straight into the desk and raised the alarm, that there was a man overboard."
Gareth Morrison, a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) deputy inspector, said all those involved in the search were "trying their absolute damnedest". He added: "I have heard reports on the news that a baby was seen falling into the water, I don't know think anyone witnessed it, but I couldn't see a baby.
"All we're concerned about is finding a second person at this stage," he said. "The weather today isn't helping us in that it is making flying for the helicopters much more difficult as well. "There was a empty pram on the deck with a mobile phone in it, but I don't know who owned it"
"The place is saturated at the moment with boats from Belfast harbour and the RNLI lifeboats from Donaghadee and Bangor," he added. He also praised the staff of the Stena vessel who he said stopped the boat almost immediately and radioed for help from a passing pilot boat.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland has confirmed that a baby was missing from the ferry which hads been sailing from Cairnryan on the west coast of Scotland.