A passenger has tragically died after falling overboard yesterday (1 July) as he travelled from Northern Ireland to Scotland.
It’s after an intense rescue operation was launched to save the unnamed man, who fell from the Stena Superfast VIII ferry as it approached the port of Loch Ryan.
Despite rescue crews' best efforts and the passenger being airlifted to hospital, he was later pronounced dead.
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At the time, the unnamed man had been travelling from Belfast to Cairnryan on the 3.30pm crossing when the incident happened on Saturday (1 July).
It’s unclear how he entered the water, but rescue crews respond to the call around 5.50pm with the Stena ferry also launching its own rescue boat.
After searching the waters around Loch Ryan, the man was later airlifted by an HM Coastguard helicopter to University Hospital in Ayr – where he was pronounced dead.
Though there are many unanswered questions surrounding the tragic incident, police have said that they are not treating it as suspicious.
A police spokesperson told press: "Inquiries to establish the full circumstances of the incident remain ongoing.
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"However, there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances."
Stena Line, who run the ferry, have also given a statement about the incident, which read: "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 approx 20:30. A full investigation into the incident is currently under way."
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The Swedish firm is one of the biggest ferry operators in the world, managing an estimated 25,000 crossings each year throughout Europe.
Since 2011, it’s operated the scenic route between Belfast and Cairnryan, with the Stena Superfast VIII carrying up to 1,200 passengers at a time.
The Scottish village and the surrounding area is famed for ship breaking and its role in WWII, when it was used as a base for US troops preparing for D-Day.
Though a rare occurrence, this latest incident comes just days after a mother and her young died after they fell overboard on a Stena Line passenger ferry.
Midway through the journey from Poland to Sweden, the pair entered the water, with authorities later airlifting them to the hospital where they were unable to be saved.
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Both incidents are now being investigated by local police.
Katherine Sidnell