A RESCUE team from Harwich had a seven-hour round-trip to investigate reports of a life raft being spotted in the North Sea.
Thames Coastguard said a commercial vessel spotted a white flashing light in the sea around 40 miles east of Felixstowe.
It was feared the light was either a life raft or a person with a life jacket in the water.
Coastguard were alerted around 5.22am and dispatched a lifeboat crew from Harwich to investigate. They searched the area but nothing was found.
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