Wife of US Navy diver who fell from Gourock to Dunoon ferry fears she'll never find out what happened to her husband

The wife of a US Navy diver who fell from a ferry travelling from Gourock to Dunoon fears she may never find out what happened to her husband.

Mark Federspiel, 64, went overboard on Father’s Day on his way back home from vising his 22-year-old daughter Lara on the mainland.

Now, almost two weeks on, his wife Annette told STV News the circumstances of what happened to Mark remain a mystery, as there were no cameras on the side of the ferry and no eyewitnesses.

“All I know for sure is that I came onto the boat with Mark, but I came off it without him,” she told STV News.

“He has been missing for 12 days now, and the police haven’t found a body.

“An oceanographer is now assisting the effort. They are looking at things like the tide and Mark’s weight, with the working assumption that he may end up in the area off Helensburgh.

“But we might never get him back.”

Mark had been receiving treatment for a rare form of leukaemia, with the side effects of the drugs often leaving him unsteady on his feet.

Annette, who has been married to Mark for almost 40 years, said: “Mark was living with leukemia, and he was depressed, but there is no way that he jumped overboard. He loved me too much, and he loved Lara too much.

“He regularly felt dizzy and his legs were in a bad way, the MacMillan nurses will testify to that.

“Mark was very relaxed when he left the car, he didn’t say anything out of the ordinary. I knew his legs had been sore and his balance wasn’t very good.”

Travelling back from daughter’s house on Father’s Day

Annette and Mark had been doing some painting and DIY at their daughter’s house while she was away on holiday.

On their way back across the Firth of Clyde on the Sound of Shuna ferry, Annette charged up her phone and found Lara had posted a reel about her dad.

Annette told STV News: “Lara had put a story up for Father’s Day and I said ‘Mark, wait til you see what Lara’s said about you’ and I showed him the message.

“Just after that, Mark said he had to visit the bathroom, and that was the last time I saw him. I was re-reading Lara’s post, but I began to wonder where Mark was.”

Just seven minutes or so after Annette realised Mark must have fallen overboard, she raised the alarm.

“I started screaming on the deck of the ferry,” she said.

“That’s when staff members started coming down the stairs – there was not one member of staff on deck. I was in my car, but when Mark disappeared, nobody saw anything, and there were no cameras on board.

“I am so angry. If Mark fell in, why didn’t he get a ring thrown to him? What is the point in them being there? I have travelled on the ferry so many times, but once the staff take your ticket, they are gone.

“After we couldn’t find Mark, the next thing we knew, there were helicopters and rescue boats deployed, and everybody on the ferry was looking out at the water trying to spot him.”

Mark, a physicist, and Annette, who had worked in the beauty industry, had recently returned to her hometown of Dunoon after years spent in the United States and were looking forward to their retirement in Scotland.

He had been diagnosed with hairy cell leukaemia two years earlier.

As a US Navy diver, Mark was responsible for disassembling explosives at sea and was nicknamed “Mark the Shark” because of his speed.

‘My husband deserved more’

Annette was critical of Western Ferries, saying that personnel should have been on deck when Mark disappeared.

“Nobody can say what happened to him,” she said. “If staff were on the ferry deck, they could have thrown a ring at him, and he would still be here today.

“My husband deserved more; he was a great guy and a great father. We may never be able to put this to rest. I’ll always be asking ‘where are you Mark?’ and Lara will be asking ‘where are you dad?’ We just want him home.

“There are no answers, and we might never know what happened.

“I have a sea view from my house, and I was using binoculars to watch the search. I am still traumatised and cannot believe this has happened to my husband.

“The police have been nice and very compassionate, but we’ve not heard a single thing from the mental health team that was helping Mark.”

Police Scotland said “exhaustive” water searches had concluded, but inquiries are continuing.

Chief inspector James McArthur said: “Around 1.40pm on Sunday, June 15, 2025, we received a report of a 64-year-old man missing from a ferry travelling between Gourock and Dunoon.

“Police and partner agencies, including the Coastguard attended and extensive searches have been carried out on the water and shorelines. Local officers have been assisted by our Dive and Marine Unit and Air Support Unit.

“The water searches have concluded, however, our enquiries remain ongoing and officers are providing support to his family.”

A spokesperson for Western Ferries said: “Everyone at Western Ferries is profoundly aware of the tragic nature of last weekend’s events and the impact they have had on family and friends.

“Western Ferries wants to reassure all our customers that our vessels’ bridges are strategically positioned to provide optimal visibility to ensure the safety of the passengers and crew. The design of the vessel and the onboard equipment satisfies all relevant regulatory requirements.

“Since the events of June 15, Western Ferries has been co-operating fully with the police and emergency services to assist in understanding the circumstances.”