Police have ended their search for a baby suspected of having fallen overboard from a ferry.
Officers and coastguard rescuers had been scouring the waters off Belfast port after reports a woman and baby had plunged into the sea.
However, while a 37-year-old Belfast woman was rescued shortly after the incident, police have now confirmed that no baby was involved.
The Stena Line ferry had been crossing from Cairnryan on the west coast of Scotland when the woman went overboard on Wednesday evening.
A spokeswoman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland said: “Police have called off the search operation in Belfast Lough which began yesterday evening after a report that a baby had gone into the water with a woman who was later rescued.
“Following an extensive search operation involving several agencies and volunteers and after enquiries with the 37-year-old woman and her family, police now understand the report of a baby going into the water was incorrect.
“Police do not believe there was a baby in the woman's care on the ferry. The woman, who is from Belfast, remains in a stable condition in hospital. Police enquiries are continuing.”
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