French police launched a substantial search and rescue operation Sunday after a solo flyer`s aircraft vanished in the English Channel.

According to maritime police spokesman Yann Bizien, air traffic controllers from the Channel island of Jersey lost contact with the Cirrus SR22, an eight-metre-long (10 yards) monoplane, at around 1800 GMT, 22 kilometres (14 miles) out from the French port of Cherbourg.

The plane had taken off from London and was destined for Jersey. Air and sea branches of the emergency services were mobilised.