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Emergency services are preparing to launch a recovery operation after a diver failed to resurface during a dive in the Isles of Scilly.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said it received a report of a diver who was unconscious on the sea floor at about 0.75 nautical miles north east of Toll's Island, St Mary's, just after 09:00 BST on Wednesday.

James Instance, from Falmouth Coastguard, said the 55-year-old diver from Yorkshire had been at a depth of about 38m when his equipment malfunctioned.

Mr Instance said: “We got a lifeboat out, prepared other rescue resources to attend the incident [and] we put out a broadcast for assistance as well but unfortunately he didn’t surface."

Mr Instance said the coastguard had spoken to police and other authorities and would "begin the process of a recovery dive in the next day or so".

Devon and Cornwall Police said it was helping with the search for the missing man and divers have been sent to the scene as part of the investigation.