HM Coastguard stood down the Jim Wither CalMac ferry search at about 04:55 on 19 October after 82-year-old Jim Wither fell overboard from MV Caledonian Isles east of Arran. The search had continued overnight before no one was found, and Wither’s family was informed.
HM Coastguard said the response followed reports at about 20:30 on Sunday and involved two helicopters, one airplane, and four Coastguard Rescue Teams. RNLI crews from Girvan and Campbeltown also joined the operation.
MV Caledonian Isles east of Arran
CalMac said the crew from MV Caledonian Isles were assisting Police Scotland and HM Coastguard with an ongoing enquiry regarding a missing person. Police Scotland said it was assisting partners with a missing persons case.
The ferry, east of Arran, became the focus of a search that stretched through the night. HM Coastguard coordinated the response with Police Scotland, the RNLI, and CalMac after the reports came in.
Girvan and Campbeltown RNLI
An RNLI spokesperson said Girvan RNLI was launched just before 23:00 on 18 October, with Campbeltown RNLI launching shortly after 00:00 on 19 October. Those launches placed two RNLI crews into the search while the Coastguard teams worked across the area.
After an extensive search no one was found and the operation was stood down pending new information. Formal identification had not yet taken place when the search ended, leaving the missing persons case open as the agencies involved handed the matter back to the normal enquiry process.
