SOLENT coastguard today joined the search for a missing sailor.

The search resumed today for the seaman after his boat was found drifting in stormy conditions by the wall of a marina.

The coastguard was contacted at about 9.50pm yesterday when the man failed to return home to his wife and a coastguard helicopter from Lee-on-the-Solent has joined the search.

He is believed to have taken his Sunseeker vessel sailing between Brighton and Newhaven, East Sussex, on his own yesterday afternoon but friends and family became concerned when he did not return home, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said.

A spokeswoman said a friend of the man told Brighton Marina that the man could not be found and the search and rescue operation was launched.

But rescue crews and the coastguard helicopter were temporarily called off during the night when an electrical storm hit the Sussex coast.

Sussex Police said it was made aware at 12.15am today that a boat had drifted into the marina wall in Brighton.

A spokeswoman said no one was found on board and police were assisting with land-based inquiries.

The MCA spokeswoman said: ''The man's Sunseeker was found near the harbour wall at Brighton.

''A search was launched and continues this morning.

''The Shoreham and Newhaven Coastguard rescue teams, along with lifeboats from Shoreham, Newhaven and Brighton, are all involved with the search, along with the Coastguard helicopter from Lee-on-Solent.''