18 Jul 2005

Search called off for two people missing at sea in French Polynesia's Tuamotus

12:39 pm on 18 July 2005

Officials in French Polynesia have today called off the air search for two people missing at sea.

A ship belonging to the Polynesian Intervention Group will continue to patrol the Tuamotu archipelago in where a surveillance plane and two fishing vessels searched for three days.

The state news agency, Tahitipresse, reports a small fishing boat which left the atoll of Hikueru on Saturday, failed to return.

The boat was heading for the atoll of Makemo to pick up two more people.