MISSING: Two helicopters are involved in search efforts for the man who was last seen yesterday lunchtime

A HUGE air and sea search has been launched for a British diver who went missing in southern Spain.

The unnamed 70-year-old man had apparently gone diving near Cartagena in Murcia yesterday lunchtime.

An unidentified diving school in Cabo de Palos said it lost contact with the man after he was last seen near marine reserve the Hormigas Islands.

Two helicopters, a Red Cross boat and other vessels are all involved in the search efforts.

POPULAR: The Cabo de Palos where the 70-year-old went missing is frequented by scuba divers

A Spanish Coastguard spokesperson said: “The missing man is a British ex-member of the Armed Forces aged 70.

“A remote operated vehicle has been dropped from one of our vessels and it is currently searching at 40 metres below the sea surface.”

Cabo de Palos is popular with scuba divers and has one of the most important nature reserves of the whole Mediterranean.

It is also home to coral, reefs, shipwrecks and sunken boats.

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