Tragic replace on cruise ship passenger who went ‘overboard’ close to UK metropolis
A body has been found following a major search operation after an unnamed male passenger went missing on a cruise ship docked off the east coast of Scotland, according to Police Scotland
The passenger had been on board the Ambassador Ambition cruise ship(Image: Getty)
A body has been found during a major search for a man reported missing from a cruise ship off Scotland’s east coast.
The discovery, which was confirmed by Police Scotland, was made after HM Coastguard launched a large-scale search operation in the North Sea. The alarm was raised at around 8.35am on Friday, August 21, when a man was reported to have fallen overboard from a passenger vessel about 36 nautical miles east of Arbroath.
The Ambassador Ambition cruise ship, believed to be the vessel involved, had reportedly been on a solar eclipse voyage around Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Shetland.
A body has reportedly been found (Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
Passengers had been due to disembark in Scotland at around 11am, but the ship berthed in Dundee while the emergency operation was carried out.
An HM Coastguard helicopter and aircraft were sent to the area, alongside RNLI lifeboats from Anstruther and Broughty Ferry and Coastguard Rescue Teams from Dundee, Arbroath and St Andrews.
A commercial search-and-rescue helicopter and several nearby vessels also joined the operation.
The police, coastguard and other emergency services are all involved in the search(Image: Getty Images)
An HM Coastguard spokesperson initially said: “HM Coastguard is coordinating the response to a report made at about 8.35am on 21 August of a man overboard from a passenger vessel in waters about 36 nautical miles east of Arbroath.
“An HM Coastguard helicopter and aeroplane have been sent as well as RNLI lifeboats from Anstruther and Broughty Ferry, and Coastguard Rescue Teams from Dundee, Arbroath and St Andrews.
“A commercial search and rescue helicopter and several nearby vessels are assisting with searches. The passenger vessel has berthed at Dundee. Police Scotland has been informed.”
RNLI officers took part in the search efforts (Image: Fraser Gray/REX/Shutterstock)
An RNLI spokesperson said: “All-weather lifeboats from Anstruther and Broughty Ferry RNLI launched shortly after 9.30am today to support HM Coastguard in a search for a missing person overboard from a passenger vessel approximately 36 nautical miles east of Arbroath.”
An Ambassador Cruise Line spokesperson said: “Ambassador follows stringent search-and-rescue protocols in line with international maritime safety standards. We continue to work in close collaboration with the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Police Scotland as the investigation continues.
“Ambassador remains committed to the safety and wellbeing of all our guests and crew. As a result of this development, today’s turnaround operation in Dundee was slightly delayed. However, guests due to travel on board Ambition should make their way to the port as per their embarkation schedule.”
Police Scotland said officers received a report at around 8.55am that a man had gone overboard from a cruise ship in the North Sea, approximately 40 nautical miles from Anstruther, Fife.
The force said the man’s next of kin had been informed and police enquiries remained ongoing.
