A major search has been underway in the English Channel for a cruise ship crew member.

Emergency response teams from the RNLI and Coastguard launched from Ramsgate and Dover this morning following reports of a man going overboard.

The member of staff went missing from the AIDA Perla cruise liner travelling from Hamburg to La Coruna in Spain.

The RNLI confirmed it had deployed all-weather lifeboats from the two ports at 8.20am and 8.35am respectively.

The search has been conducted about 25 miles east off the coast of Ramsgate, where the ship is on anchor.

A coastguard helicopter was also sent to help.

At about 6.30pm, an RNLI spokesman said the search involving its lifeboats had been stood down for the night with no positive outcome.

The cruise ship company confirmed it has reason to believe a crew member had fallen overboard.

A spokesman said: “The captain and crew of AIDA Perla immediately initiated all necessary rescue measures in close coordination with the local authorities.

“The search on board confirmed that a male crew member is missing.

“This ship was immediately stopped and returned to the spot where the incident was believed to have taken part in the search.

“The search for the missing person is ongoing and has our utmost priority.”

A coastguard spokesman said they were alerted at 8.55am to reports a man had gone overboard from the cruise ship.

They said the search and rescue helicopter was sent from Lydd alongside a coastguard fixed-wing aircraft and the RNLI's all-weather lifeboats from Ramsgate and Dover.