FALMOUTH lifeboat crew were called out on a search and rescue mission yesterday (February 13) after fears that thieves who stole a yacht from the town may have gone overboard.

The yacht was spotted by a member of the public off Pendennis Point at around 7.50am and Falmouth coastguards were called after reports that the yacht was adrift without anyone on board.

Both Falmouth lifeboats and a helicopter from RNAS Culdrose launched into action and searched for the missing crew which they feared my have gone overboard.

Other local vessels and the Coastguard cliff rescue team also joined in the search It was later discovered after an extensive search that the 28 foot Prospect yacht had been stolen from Town Quay, Falmouth and that the owner was safe and sound on dry land.

The lifeboat crew sailed the yacht back into the harbour and moored it at the pontoon next to the National Maritime Museum where police have began their investigation into the theft.

After several hours the search was abandoned as the lifeboat crew had found nothing at sea and they assume that the thieves may have come ashore using a dinghy.

Mark Pollard, RNLI coxswain at Falmouth, said: "We searched from the Helford River around the bay to Pendennis Point and up and down the Carrick Roads, but found no sign of anyone.

"Someone had tried to put the sails up, and it looked like a person had been onboard for a while. Two of the RNLI crew volunteers, Carl Beardmore and Andy Jenkin sailed the yacht back into Falmouth.

"The search was scaled down mid morning when the area had been thoroughly searched and nothing had been found. Police are now investigating the incident."

Trevor Jones, a keen sailor and former landlord of the Chainlocker pub, was reunited with his yacht, the Savara, after the thieves gave up trying to steal the yacht due to a lack of wind in their sails.

Mr Jones said: "It appears that someone got into a tender and had a good look around the yachts in the harbour and then decided to take mine. They had a good rifle through it and took it for a sail.

"The sails were still down so they must have made a make-shift one and used it to try and get away but when they realised there was no wind they abandoned it at the point and used a tender to get ashore.

Despite being ransacked by its captors the yacht escaped with very little damage. Mr Jones added: "I'm lucky to have got my yacht back as marine vessels are quite profitable things often boats and yachts are stolen and everything is stripped out of them and sold."

The police said officers are now investigating CCTV footage of two white men seen at Town Quay pontoons at around 2.30am on Tuesday.

One of the men has dark hair and the other blond and they were both wearing jumpers and T-shirts.