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13/06/2007
Missing father's body found in English Channel
The body of missing man Alan Watkins has been found in the English Channel, close to where his two-year-old son's body was found at the weekend.
Mr Watkins, 50, and his son Arun, were reported missing on Sunday evening by Arun's mother, Sheena Basnayake.
The pair had gone sailing in a dinghy in Littlehampton in West Sussex on Sunday afternoon.
A member of the public is believed to have seen Mr Watkins and his son entering the sea in their dinghy at Sea Road between 4:30pm and 5pm on Sunday afternoon.
The 5ft-long dinghy, containing nappies and a child's armbands, was found drifting without anyone aboard around 6:40pm and Arun's body was found in the water shortly afterwards. He died in hospital two hours later.
Police said that the child had been wearing a sunblock suit when he was found, but was not wearing a buoyancy aid.
Post-mortems results on Arun are expected to be released later on Wednesday.
A statement released by Arun's mother through Sussex Police described him as "beautiful, adventurous and loving". She said: "He was my raison d'etre, my very reason to live and now I need time to learn to understand, remember and be left to grieve in peace."
Police have urged anyone who saw Mr Watkins pushing the dinghy out to sea on Sunday afternoon to contact them.
Police have said that they are examining a "number of hypotheses" to explain the circumstances of the incident.
(KMcA/JM)
Mr Watkins, 50, and his son Arun, were reported missing on Sunday evening by Arun's mother, Sheena Basnayake.
The pair had gone sailing in a dinghy in Littlehampton in West Sussex on Sunday afternoon.
A member of the public is believed to have seen Mr Watkins and his son entering the sea in their dinghy at Sea Road between 4:30pm and 5pm on Sunday afternoon.
The 5ft-long dinghy, containing nappies and a child's armbands, was found drifting without anyone aboard around 6:40pm and Arun's body was found in the water shortly afterwards. He died in hospital two hours later.
Police said that the child had been wearing a sunblock suit when he was found, but was not wearing a buoyancy aid.
Post-mortems results on Arun are expected to be released later on Wednesday.
A statement released by Arun's mother through Sussex Police described him as "beautiful, adventurous and loving". She said: "He was my raison d'etre, my very reason to live and now I need time to learn to understand, remember and be left to grieve in peace."
Police have urged anyone who saw Mr Watkins pushing the dinghy out to sea on Sunday afternoon to contact them.
Police have said that they are examining a "number of hypotheses" to explain the circumstances of the incident.
(KMcA/JM)
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