20 January 2024 , 19:54
690
0
A man has died in hospital after he was airlifted from the water following an incident on a Stena Line ferry.
A Stena Line ship was travelling from Belfast to Birkenhead on Saturday, January 20 during the early hours of the morning when there were reports of a missing man. Emergency services were called including Merseyside Police, HM Coastguard and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
An eyewitness reportedly said they believed a person had fallen overboard and a spokesperson for the coastguard said a search was carried out shortly after 8am. A man was airlifted out of the water and taken to hospital at around 11am.
In an update this afternoon a spokesperson for Merseyside Police confirmed a 44-year-old man, from North Wales, has died in hospital following the incident. Enquiries have been carried out but the death is not being treated as suspicious and a file has been prepared for the coroner. The man's next of kin have been informed.
A spokesperson for HM Coastguard told the ECHO earlier today: "HM Coastguard coordinated the response to a report of a missing man from a passenger vessel off Liverpool. The alarm was raised at about 8.15am on 20 January and a search was carried out.
Brit 'saw her insides' after being cut open by propeller on luxury diving trip
"The HM Coastguard helicopter from Caernarfon was sent as well as RNLI all-weather lifeboats from Hoylake, Rhyl, Lytham St Annes and Llandudno. A man was airlifted from the water by the HM Coastguard helicopter at about 11.20am, transferred to an ambulance and taken to hospital.
"Crosby Coastguard Rescue Team assisted by securing a helicopter landing site. Merseyside Police were informed."
Stena Line confirmed to the ECHO that there had been an incident on the vessel Stena Estrid en route from Belfast to Birkenhead on Saturday morning, January 20, but could not comment on the incident.