A MAN has died off the Hampshire coast hours after taking his friend’s canoe out on the water in the early hours of the morning.
Coastguard, lifeboats and crews from the Hampshire Constabulary Marine Unit were called out to search the shoreline of Hayling Island just after 5am when a man realised his friend had not returned with his canoe, which he took out on the water just after midnight.
Police have named the man as 24-year-old Karl Maynard from Purbrook, Waterlooville
The canoe was discovered upturned and floating in Mengham Creek at 7.12am.
Around ten minutes later the search party discovered his body in waters nearby at Mengham Rise.
Police and marine accident investigators are now investigating the man’s death but say they are not treating it as suspicious.
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