Air and coastal searches for bodies were suspended at nightfall yesterday as hopes faded for the eight crew of a cargo ship which capsized on Saturday in the Pentland Firth.

A major search effort was mounted after the upturned hull of the Cypriot-registered Cemfjord was spotted in the waters of the Pentland Firth, north of Scotland, on Saturday.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: “The families of the missing crew have been notified. The coastguard will continue to broadcast messages to all shipping requesting that they are informed about any information or sightings.”

The crew on the NorthLink ferry Hrossey alerted the coastguard after spotting an upturned hull 10 miles east of the Pentland Skerries, about 15 miles from Wick at around 2.30pm on Saturday.

The 83-metre bulk cement carrier, which had been bound for Runcorn, Cheshire, finally sank below the water on Sunday afternoon.