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Firth of Forth: one man dead and two others missing after boat capsizes

Coastguard launches search off the coast of Fife, after being alerted before 5pm

Kunal Dutta
Tuesday 11 August 2015 07:13 EDT
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Two people are missing and a third is in hospital after a boat capsized in the Firth of Forth in Scotland
Two people are missing and a third is in hospital after a boat capsized in the Firth of Forth in Scotland (Getty)

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A man has died and two others are missing after a boat overturned in the Firth of Forth.

A major search and rescue operation was under way off the coast of East Wemyss, Fife, on Monday evening after coastguards were alerted of the incident shortly before 5pm.

The dead man was airlifted to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee after being pulled from the water during the search operation but later died, according to Police Scotland.

The casualty and the missing two are believed to be men who are understood to have been fishing. Their ages have not been released.

The boat involved, believed to be about 10ft long, has been recovered in the East Wemyss area. Aberdeen Coastguard was alerted to the incident by somebody on the shore.

One eye witness told The Courier newspaper shortly before 7pm: “I've just witnessed a body being pulled out the Forth by the Coastguard. Don't know if he's alive or dead.”

A spokesman confirmed the search and rescue operation and said: "We've recovered one person by helicopter to hospital.

"There are two people still missing."

Two lifeboats from Anstruther and Kinghorn were involved in the search, as well as the Rescue 131 RAF helicopter from Boulmer and three coastguard teams from Kinghorn, Leven and St Andrews. The search was suspended after darkness fell.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "Three men were reported missing after an afternoon of sailing amid concerns of worsening weather conditions.

"A full-scale search was launched by UK Coastguard which included a rescue helicopter based at RAF Boulmer, RNLI lifeboats from Kinghorn and Anstruther, Coastguard rescue teams from Kinghorn, St Andrews and Leven and police officers.

"A man was recovered from the water around 0.9 nautical miles out to sea from East Wemyss.

"He was immediately taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee by helicopter where he died a short time later around 1900 hours. The man has yet to be identified and Police Scotland is liaising closely with the families of the missing men."

Additional reporting by PA

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