A major search operation is under way in the North Sea after a person is feared to have fallen overboard.
Air and water-based rescue teams have been scrambled to the scene, around 60 nautical miles north-east of Peterhead, to conduct a thorough search of the water.
The person is understood to have been onboard a vessel in the North Sea – around 35 nautical miles northeast of Fraserburgh – when tragedy struck shortly after 8am on Thursday.
HM Coastguard was first made aware of the incident following a distress call from a vessel at around 8.15am.
Air and water search under way to trace missing person
Coastguard rescue helicopter 151 from Inverness, an oil and gas industry rescue helicopter from Aberdeen and a fixed-wing coastguard aircraft have been assisting with the search.
Peterhead and Fraserburgh lifeboat teams have also been assisting by searching the water surrounding the vessel.
The search is ongoing.
In a statement, a spokesperson for HM Coastguard said: “An HM Coastguard rescue helicopter, a fixed wing coastguard aircraft, nearby vessels, and RNLI Fraserburgh and Peterhead lifeboats have been called to assist in the search for a person overboard from a vessel in the North Sea.
“An oil and gas industry rescue helicopter from Aberdeen is also supporting.
“The alarm was raised at around 8.15am this morning (Thursday 15 August), after HM Coastguard received a distress alert from the vessel around 35 nautical miles northeast of Fraserburgh. The search is ongoing.”
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