Red flares prompt large scale search in orkney

Sunday 26 April 2009 01:25
Maritime And Coastguard Agency (National)




At twenty past nine this evening Shetland Coastguard were contacted by several members of the public informing them that they had seen multiple red flares being released in the Kirkwall Bay area from the direction of Shapinsay on the Orkney Islands.

Shetland Coastguard tasked the Kirkwall Coastguard Rescue Team to meet the first informant to ascertain the location and direction of the flares. They identified an area between Carness and String, and a major search has now been launched, involving Coastguard Rescue Teams from Kirkwall and Stromness, as well as Orkney Coastguard Sector Manager, the Coastguard Emergency Towing Vessel 'Anglian Earl', Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 102 and Kirkwall RNLI All Weather Lifeboat.

Shetland Coastguard Watch Manager Kathy Grant said:

"We have now launched a major search operation involving a large number of resources including Coastguard teams performing a land based search, our Coastguard Emergency Towing Vessel searching out at sea, and the Coastguard Helicopter scrambled from Sumburgh to cover the search area from above.

We have also issued a Pan Pan broadcast to all vessels in the area asking them to report any flare sightings to us, and also to keep a sharp lookout. Following this broadcast, the Northlink Passenger ferry "Hjaltland" as well as the Ocean Explorer have also joined the search and we are extremely grateful for their assistance.

This search is still ongoing at this time."