A PRIVATE search for missing fishing boat Nicola Faith has been suspended due to bad weather.

Oceanographer David Mearns, an American marine scientist and expert in deep water recovery, is leading the private search which began on Saturday, March 20.

The effort follows a huge fundraiser carried out by the families of three fishermen Ross Ballantine, 39, Alan Minard, 20, and skipper Carl McGrath, 34, who went missing off the coast of Conwy on January 27.

Mr Mearns tweeted on Tuesday: “The private search has had to stand down for the time being because the weather has turned against us.

“I've met with all three families who wish to resume the search when the conditions allow. The community support they have received has been exceptional.”

The bodies of three men were recovered from the coastline off the Wirral and Blackpool over the weekend of March 13-14. One body found on the beach at Blackpool has been identified as Mr McGrath, police confirmed on Monday.

Bad weather also disrupted Mr Mearns’s search effort over the weekend, however he said he remains confident of tracing the sunken vessel, which could provide clues as to the cause of its disappearance on January 27.

He tweeted on Monday afternoon: “The seabed out here is absolutely ideal for searching. With the equipment we're using we have 100 percent confidence of either finding the wreck or ruling the area out. All we need is time.”

Mr Mearns has hired survey contractor SEP Hydrographic with equipment including a multi-beam sonar and side-scanner.

The search has so far covered areas about 4.5km off the Great Orme and has ruled out possible sightings including an 11-metre shipwreck and a patch of diesel fuel off Pen Trwyn point.

Mr Mearns, who helped the recovery of the plane carrying Cardiff City footballer Emiliano Sala, will provide additional expertise to the investigation being carried out by the UK Government’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB).

MAIB has searched more than 30 square miles of seabed using specialist equipment and has shared its information with Mr Mearns.

Andrew Moll, chief inspector of MAIB, said: "This was a truly tragic accident which has left a community with many unanswered questions. I and my colleagues at the MAIB share their urgent need for answers and to fully understand what went wrong. The search effort continues with renewed vigour this weekend and we are pleased that David Mearns has joined this effort.

"To date more than 30 square miles of seabed have been searched using specialist equipment. We have been able to identify the vessel’s primary operating area and this has been searched with a considerable amount of overlap. The specialist equipment that is being used is extremely sensitive and the search has been hampered by poor weather in recent weeks.

"We remain hopeful that this immense effort will bring news the families hope for very soon."