POLICE have taken the lead in the search for missing kayaker Robert Hanna, after a major search and rescue operation was stood down.
A massive coastguard search operation has taken place along the coast of Co Antrim in a bid to find the missing Carrickfergus kayaker.
The 47 year-old was last seen at around 1.30pm on Monday when he set sail from Portmuck at Islandmagee.
The family told UTV he had bought the kayak about six weeks ago and had only been out a few times.
He was expected to return for around 3pm when he was due to collect his son from school but failed to show.
The alarm was later raised and lifeboats from locations including Larne were scrambled along with the Irish Coastguard rescue helicopter based at Malin.
Volunteer lifeboat crews continued searching for the missing man into the early hours of yesterday, stopping at 3.30am for a short rest and to allow lifeboats to refuel.
Despite the darkness, weather conditions for searching were described as good during the night with clear visibility.
The Coastguard also spent time making broadcasts to local vessels, requesting that they keep a lookout for the kayaker.
The search, which was co-ordinated by Belfast Coastguard, continued yesterday with help of lifeboats from Larne, Red Bay and Campbeltown in Scotland.
However, the search was called off late afternoon.
The PSNI later revealed it had taken the lead in the search for Mr Hanna.
Superintendent Ryan Henderson said: "Over the coming hours and days we will continue to work with search and rescue teams, concentrating on the coast line, in the hope of finding him and getting him back safely to his family."
Superinendent Henderson appealed for anyone with information about Mr Hanna to contact police.
