A rescue mission launched after a sailor fell overboard from a ship in the North Sea ended without him being found.  

HM Coastguard said that the search operation, launched yesterday, was “terminated” at 8:30pm on Thursday night.  

The 23-year-old fell from the vessel just after 8am yesterday morning, sparking a widescale response from search and rescue teams.  

HM Coastguard received a distress alert from the vessel around 40 miles north-east of Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire. 

The search lasted until 8:30pm (stock pic)The search lasted until 8:30pm (stock pic) (Image: PA)

A rescue helicopter, a fixed-wing Coastguard aircraft, nearby vessels and RNLI Fraserburgh and Peterhead lifeboats were all involved in the search. 

An oil and gas industry rescue helicopter from Aberdeen was also deployed to look for the missing sailor. 


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However, the search ended without the man being found.  

An HM Coastguard spokesperson said this morning: “The search for a person who went overboard from a vessel in the North Sea has been terminated with no one found. The search was stood down just after 20:30 last night.” 

They added that the matter had now been passed to the local police.

Chief Inspector Steven McDonald, area commander for Aberdeenshire North, said: “Around 9am on Thursday, 15 August, 2024, we were made aware of a 23-year-old man having gone overboard from a vessel in the North Sea, 35 miles north east of Fraserburgh.

“A search and rescue operation was carried out by HM Coastguard but the man remains missing. His next of kin are aware.

“Police enquiries remain ongoing but there are no apparent suspicious circumstances.”