The missing Oxford man who jumped from a ferry into the Irish Sea was a schizophrenic who had missed his medication, it was revealed today.

Sources close to the tragedy said it was believed the man had missed one of his medications and as a result had jumped overboard.

The 41-year-old was travelling on the ship with his mother and father when the tragedy happened last Thurs- day.

Irish police said today the man's identity would not be released until a body had been recovered. A spokesman said: "The search is still going on for the body and we are doing everything in our power to find him."

A major air sea rescue operation was launched after the man disappeared from a ferry about seven miles off the Irish coast.

He was seen jumping overboard by two witnesses but helicopter and lifeboat searches failed to find him.

The Stena Line ferry had just left Rosslare in Ireland on its way to Fishguard, Pembrokeshire.

Sue Kirk, communications manager for Stena Line said: "A man was reported overboard shortly after the ship left Rosslare.

"The ship and coastguards were then involved in a sea search for five hours."

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