News / Police name crewman missing from Hjaltland

29 June 2018 08:01

Charlie Gibson was last seen on Wednesday evening.

POLICE are continuing enquiries in a bid to trace a crewman who went missing from the northbound Hjaltland ferry on Wednesday night.

Officers have named the man as Alistair Gibson, known as Charlie, who is aged 58 and is from Orkney. He was last seen at around 9.10pm on Wednesday.

The NorthLink boat, which had departed Aberdeen for Lerwick at 7pm, was searched and a number of vessels helped to look around water north east of Peterhead until around 5am the following morning.

Another search conducted by the coastguard and local lifeboats on Thursday was called off at around 5pm.

Charlie is described as 5’7” in height with short, balding dark hair and is of slim build and has slight facial stubble.

When last seen, he was wearing a navy blue uniform with the NorthLink Ferries logo and glasses. He was reported missing just after 11pm.

Shetland area commander chief inspector Lindsay Tulloch said on Thursday evening: “We are continuing our enquiries to trace Charlie and would urge anyone who may have information to contact us.

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“We have spoken to passengers who were on board the ferry today and have continued with searches today.

“If Charlie is reading this, we would urge him to get in touch to let us know that he is safe and well.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident number 5259 of 27 June.”

After the search was called off on Thursday, HM Coastguard controller Lee Duncan said: “Following an extensive search of the area using multiple assets nothing has been found, the decision has been made to suspend the search pending further information.”

The Hjaltland berthed at Lerwick around five hours late on Thursday and on Friday morning it arrived back in Aberdeen.

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