Hopes fade for teenager after collision with ferry

The youth, believed to be from North Shields, was on board the Homeland with his brother when it made contact with the Scottish Viking ferry off the coast of St Abbs in Eyemouth, Berwickshire, shortly before 8pm on Thursday.

The 20-year-old elder brother – who is the boat's skipper – was pulled from the water by another fishing boat.

Four lifeboat crews and up to 20 fishing vessels yesterday scanned an area of just less than five square miles, but the search was later called off.

Coastguards said it was not known if the teenager was wearing a lifejacket, although some were found at the scene.

The search and rescue mission co-ordinated by Forth Coastguard was reviewed later as the chances of his survival in the open water faded.

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesman said: "The survivability period for someone in the water has passed. Different factors affect different people's chances of survival, but it has been a long time.

He said a helicopter had been involved in the search and the weather had been good.

"Lifejackets are high visibility and have flashing lights on them, if he had been floating in the water we would have spotted him.

The accident happened around five miles off the coast of St Abbs.

The Homeland operates from North Shields in Tyneside.

The passenger ferry is run by Norfolkline, part of DFDS Seaways, which runs services between Rosyth, Scotland, and Zeebrugge in Belgium. It was due to reach Zeebrugge later yesterday.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has started a preliminary investigation.