Man dies after falling overboard from Stena Line ferry at Cairnryan port in Dumfries and Galloway

A man has died after falling overboard from a ferry in Dumfries and Galloway.

Police, coastguard and ambulance crews were called to the Loch Ryan port in Cairnryan at around 5.50pm on Saturday evening.

The man was rescued from the water by the ferry’s fast rescue craft, according to a Coastguard spokesperson.

He was then airlifted to University Hospital Ayr, where he was pronounced dead.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We received a report of a man having gone overboard from a ferry at Belfast Way, Cairnryan around 5.50pm on Saturday, 1 July, 2023.

“Emergency services attended and the man was taken to University Hospital Ayr, where he was pronounced dead.

“Enquiries to establish the full circumstances of the incident remain ongoing, however there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances.

“A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.”

The incident happened on a Stena Line ferry sailing from Belfast to Cairnryan on Saturday.

A spokesperson for Stena Line said: “Stena Line can confirm that a ‘man overboard’ incident involving a passenger occurred at approximately 6pm on July 1 on the Stena Superfast VIII vessel as the ship approached its destination of Loch Ryan Port, Cairnryan.

“Emergency response procedures were initiated, including the launch of Stena Line’s onboard fast response craft.

“All relevant authorities, including the Coastguard and Police Scotland were informed and a search and rescue operation was launched. Superfast VIII resumed its sailing schedule at approximately 8.30pm.

“A full investigation into the incident is currently underway led by Police Scotland.”