Sonar equipment used by underwater search teams in hunt for missing Norfolk man David Cubberley

Teams searching for a man believed to have gone missing from a boat will use specialist underwater search technology.

Police are to bring in sonar equipment to search Hickling Broad in Norfolk as they try and find what happened to 65-year-old David Cubberley.

Mr Cubberley was last seen on Tuesday 13 February. A member of the public raised the alarm on Saturday, 17 February, shortly after 3pm when his boat was found in reeds at Candle Dyke.

His dog had earlier been found nearby on land at the broad, and taken to a vet.

Sonar - which stands for Sound Navigation and Ranging - uses sound waves to "see" underwater.

It is similar to the technology used in submarines. The signal bounces off objects and can be used to locate or map objects.

The equipment, supplied by the Environment Agency, will be used by water search teams from Norfolk Lowland Search and Rescue, Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service and Norfolk Constabulary’s marine unit.

Insp Ben Hardiman, who is leading the investigation, said: “Given David’s sudden disappearance and the length of time he has now been missing, we are becoming increasingly concerned for his welfare.

“There will be a police presence in the area over the coming days as we continue our efforts to find him.

“Due to the possibility that David has entered the water, our searches will focus on this area.

"So far, we have completed extensive CCTV inquiries, spoken to local residents and searched surrounding land. We are working through a multiple of lines of inquiry as a result."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...