A full investigation is under way after a fisherman was washed overboard by a wave from a passing ship. He was still missing yesterday.

John Sibley, 47, of Spruce Avenue, Colchester, had gone out for the day with the skipper of a powerful angling boat when tragedy struck.

Mr Sibley, who was not wearing a lifejacket and could not swim, was swept overboard in the incident on Saturday morning.

His wife Marilyn, and daughters Penny, 21, and Joanna, 23, were gathered at his home with other family members waiting for news.

Janet Whymark, Mr Sibley's sister-in-law, said they had been told by police a large ship had gone one side of the boat and then turned the other way.

The big waves engulfed the boat and he was washed over the side. A rescue helicopter from RAF Wattisham was scrambled and the Harwich inshore and all-weather lifeboats were called in by Thames Coastguards at Walton.

The Belgian warship, Crocus, which was on the scene, offered assistance and lowered a rigid inflatable boat into the water to join in and soon after the Walton lifeboat also joined the rescue vessels.

The Harwich Haven pilot boats were also helping to locate Mr Sibley in a search which expanded to 100 square miles.

Mr Sibley, a supervisor with Balfour Beattie in Colchester and a grandfather of three, went into the water at about 9.45am on Saturday from the small Aquabell 33 vessel some ten to 12 miles off the Felixstowe shoreline.

The skipper of the boat, Purdey, made a distress call and said he was unable to reach his friend.

The search was finally called off at about 5pm on Saturday but coastguards asked all ships in the area as well as lifeboats called to other incidents to keep a watch out.

A spokeswoman for Essex Police said: "Mr Sibley is officially missed, feared dead. His family are coming to terms with that fact."

Simon Milne, Thames Coastguard watch manager, said: "The incident is now in the hands of the Marine Accident Investigation branch and the police."

Mrs Whymark described her brother-in-law as a popular man with many friends and a great character.

"He loved all outdoor pursuits and had been fishing since he was a boy," she said. "He also loved shooting, ferriting and rabbiting."

Mrs Whymark said Mr Sibley's mother and wife both told him to wear a lifejacket but he said it made it difficult to fish properly.

"We are fearing the worst and just helping each other through it," she added.

The skipper of Purdey, who has not been named, was taken to hospital with shock but later released.

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