Update, 23 August: a body has since been recovered. Formal identification has not yet taken place.
A search and rescue operation is continuing in the North Sea after a man was reported overboard from the Ambassador Cruise Line ship Ambition on Friday morning.
The ship was on passage from Lerwick to Dundee, returning from a cruise to Iceland, the Faroes and Shetland for this month’s total solar eclipse.
HM Coastguard said it received a report at about 8.35am of a man overboard from a passenger vessel in waters roughly 36 nautical miles east of Arbroath.
A Coastguard helicopter and aeroplane were sent, along with all-weather 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 also assisting.
Police Scotland said it received a report at around 8.55am and that the man remains missing. His next of kin have been made aware, and enquiries are continuing.
What Ambassador has said
Ambassador said the captain of Ambition reported a missing person incident on Friday morning, after it was found that a guest was not where they were expected to be.
A full search of the ship was carried out once she berthed in Dundee. Guests were initially asked to stay on board during that search and have since been cleared to disembark.
The line said it is working with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, HM Coastguard and Police Scotland, and that it cannot say more while the police investigation is ongoing.
If you are due to sail
Friday’s turnaround at Dundee was delayed, but Ambassador has said guests joining Ambition should travel to the port as originally scheduled.
The man has not been named, and no further details have been released.
This is a developing story and we will update it as more information is confirmed.
