Search called off after aircraft distress signal over North Sea

Eyemouth RNLI volunteers return after 10 hours on service.

Eyemouth volunteers were called on to assist in a search for a possible downed aircraft after a military source picked up a distress signal around 50 miles east of Eyemouth.

The crew were bringing a casualty yacht into Eyemouth harbour on Tuesday, when the call came through to head back out into the North Sea.

Eyemouth’s all-weather lifeboat ‘Helen Hastings’ joined with HM Coastguard helicopter 199 from Prestwick, an aircraft from Aberdeen and two nearby vessels, to thoroughly search the area.

Nothing was found so the search ended.

A spokesperson for HM Coastguard, said: “At 1.30 this afternoon (13 August) HM Coastguard received a report of a possible downed aircraft in the North Sea.

“A coastguard helicopter, coastguard fixed wing aircraft, Eyemouth RNLI lifeboat and two vessels that were in the area were sent.

“A thorough search was carried out with nothing found.”

The Eyemouth lifeboat returned to Eyemouth harbour at 8pm where they refueled and cleaned the lifeboat, after 10 hours of service.