powerboat drifted on the open seas for 15 hours.

The 20-foot open launch, piloted by its 44-year-old owner, went missing after getting into difficulty at 4 p.m. on Sunday.

The boat was finally found off Eastern Blue Cut at 6.45 the next morning, with nobody hurt.

A Police spokeswoman said the boat's anchor was cut when it became tangled with the propellor as it tried to return to shore on Sunday afternoon.

She said the boat began drifting, adding: "Flares on board were in poor condition, they had no VHF radio and a cellular phone they had fell overboard.

"The four finally managed to anchor off Eastern Blue Cut after having drifted some four miles.'' A Harbour Radio spokesman warned boat owners to give details of all sailing trips.