Fisherman may have become entangled in gear before falling overboard

A fisherman may have become entangled in his fishing equipment before falling overboard, accident investigators have said.

The small creel boat, Sea Eagle, was found on a beach at Inverbervie, south of Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire, on 20 December last year.

There was no sign of its skipper, who had been working alone, and he remains missing.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said it was unable to determine how he fell overboard but there was evidence he had been working two lines of creels which "increased the risk of entanglement".

The MAIB said it was presumed the fisherman drowned after falling into the sea while his boat was still moving.

In a report, investigators said: "The investigation was unable to determine how the skipper entered the water.

"However, evidence indicated that he was working two strings of creels at the time, increasing the likelihood of interaction with the fishing gear leading to man overboard."

They added: "The accident also highlighted the hazards of lone fishing operations and the potential challenges of self-recovery following a man overboard event."

Creels are loaf-shaped pots, made using a frame covered in netting, normally used for catching shellfish such as crabs and langoustines.

The Sea Eagle is believed to have left Arbroath in Angus and had been in fishing grounds south-east of Montrose on the day of the accident.

The search for the fisherman involved a fixed-wing aircraft and rescue teams from Montrose, Stonehaven, Arbroath and Aberdeen.