Man dies after falling from scallop fishing boat off Shetland

A man has died after falling overboard from a fishing boat.

The man fell from the Ballantrae-registered King Challenger fishing boat off the coast of Shetland on Thursday. Picture: Contributed

He was pulled from the water by crew members and airlifted to hospital but later died.

The man fell from the Ballantrae-registered King Challenger fishing boat off the coast of Shetland on Thursday.

Officials from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) have launched an investigation into his death.

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokeswoman said: “At 9:45am on Thursday 23 June, the UK Coastguard received a mayday broadcast from a 21-metre fishing vessel reporting a person overboard, 17 nautical miles south-west of Scalloway, Shetland.

The person was recovered from the water by the crew of the fishing vessel.

“A UK Coastguard search-and-rescue helicopter based at Sumburgh was sent to the location.

“The casualty was winched on board and flown to Gilbert Bain Hospital. Lerwick coastguard rescue team prepared a safe landing area for the helicopter. The MAIB has deployed a team to conduct an investigation.”

Police confirmed the man later died and his next of kin are being informed.

A report will be sent to the procurator-fiscal once the investigation is complete.

The King Challenger is a scalloper belonging to Kirkcudbright-based West Coast Sea Products.

This is the second tragedy involving a fisherman falling overboard off the coast of Scotland in recent months.

Craig Reid, 25, from Munlochy on the Black Isle was swept overboard into the North Sea from the Avoch-owned Apollo prawn fishing trawler on Monday, 18 April, in gale-force conditions 20 miles north-west of the Orkney Isles.

Mr Reid has been reported missing presumed dead following the incident.