A man is feared to have fallen overboard from a cruise ship that has docked in a Scottish city, sparking a large-scale search operation.
Alarm raised off Arbroath
The alarm was sounded around 8.30am on Friday, August 21, when emergency services were alerted to a man having plunged into the water approximately 36 nautical miles east of Arbroath. The Ambassador Ambition cruise ship, thought to be the vessel the man was travelling on, had reportedly been on a solar eclipse journey around Iceland, the Faroes and Shetland.
Passengers were scheduled to disembark and return home from Scotland around 11am. However, the ship has now berthed at a Dundee port while frantic efforts are underway to locate the missing man.
Search operation underway
It's understood that more than 1,000 passengers and crew are being kept on the ship while the search continues. An HM Coastguard helicopter and plane have been dispatched to the scene, along with RNLI lifeboats, and Coastguard Rescue Teams. A commercial search and rescue helicopter and several nearby vessels are also lending their assistance.
An HM Coastguard spokesperson stated: "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."
Man remains missing
An RNLI spokesperson stated: "All-weather lifeboats from Anstruther and Broughty Ferry RNLI launched shortly after 9.30am today (Friday 21 August) to support HM Coastguard in a search for a missing person overboard from a passenger vessel approximately 36 nautical miles east of Arbroath."
A Police Scotland spokesperson commented: "Around 8.55am on Friday, 21 August, 2026, police received a report a man had gone overboard from a cruise ship in the North Sea, 40 nautical miles from Anstruther, Fife. A search and rescue operation is currently being carried out by HM Coastguard, but the man remains missing. His next of kin is aware. Police enquiries remain ongoing."
