Police Scotland confirmed that a body has been recovered following a search for a passenger who went overboard from the MS Ambition cruise ship off the coast of Scotland on Friday. The alarm was raised around 9 a.m. when the man, who had embarked the vessel after its last stop in Shetland, was reported missing as the ship was returning to Dundee after a 13-day cruise to Iceland.
Emergency services, including specialist divers, lifeboats, helicopters, and nearby vessels, were scrambled to the scene approximately 40 miles off the coast of Arbroath, Angus. Police Scotland stated that formal identification is pending, but the family of the missing man has been informed.
Ambassador Cruise Line, which operates the MS Ambition, reported that the man was discovered missing as the ship was en route from Lerwick to Dundee. A thorough ship-wide search was conducted upon the vessel's arrival in Dundee, where it is now berthed. Passengers onboard were kept informed of the developments by the ship's captain.
One passenger told reporters that the missing man's bed had not been slept in. Another passenger described the captain calling out the man's name over the ship's Tannoy system before the search operation commenced. Passengers were initially asked to remain onboard while a ship-wide search was conducted before being allowed to disembark.
The cruise line stated that it follows stringent search-and-rescue protocols in line with international maritime safety standards and is cooperating with the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, HM Coastguard, and Police Scotland. Ambassador Cruise Line affirmed its commitment to the safety and well-being of all guests and crew.
Passengers aboard the MS Ambition praised the crew for their professional and calm handling of the situation, describing it as a "terrible situation" and a "very sad ending to what had been an incredible cruise." The passengers extended their thoughts to the missing man's loved ones and the crew during this difficult time.
HM Coastguard confirmed it coordinated the search after receiving a report at approximately 8:35 a.m. on August 21 of a man overboard from a passenger vessel in waters about 36 nautical miles east of Arbroath. A coastguard helicopter and plane, along with search-and-rescue teams from Dundee, Arbroath, and St. Andrews, were dispatched. RNLI lifeboats from Anstruther and Broughty Ferry, a commercial search-and-rescue helicopter, and several nearby vessels also assisted in the operation. The MS Ambition, built in 1999, can accommodate up to 1,200 passengers in 680 cabins. In 2022, the ship was chartered by the Scottish Government to provide temporary accommodation for over 1,000 Ukrainian refugees on the River Clyde.