Rescue operation called off for baby reported missing in Belfast Lough

The rescue operation for a baby, believed to be missing in Belfast Lough, has been called off.

A search operation was launched last night, when a woman and a baby were reported to have fallen overboard from a Stena Line Ferry as the vessel made its way into Belfast Port.

The woman, who is from the North, was rescued after about 15 minutes in the water, and treated for hypothermia. After almost 18 hours of searching for the baby, the search-and-rescue operation has been called off.

Jude McNeice from the Northern Ireland Coastguard said: "We are handing the coordination over to the police for the search-and-recovery phase.

"Unfortunately, the baby has been in the water for 18 hours now. There would be absolutely no chance of life at this stage so we have decided, with regret, to end the search-and-rescue phase (of the operation)."