COASTGUARDS launched their search and rescue helicopter over Redbridge in Southampton yesterday evening after reports of an empty dinghy floating in the River Test.
Crews spent 20 minutes circling following reports from fishermen just before 5pm that the craft had been spotted floating up the river on the in-coming tide.
Along with an airborne team, the HM Coastguard Service also sent out a team of shore-based rescuers to the scene of the sighting, near the A35 Redbridge Causeway.
The search was called off after an hour with no sightings of the dinghy.
A spokesman said: "We received reports of an empty dinghy and immediately launched both air-based and land-based crews to try and find it.
"However, after failing to spot the dinghy, we eventually called off the search."
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