A Mearns community is clinging to fading hope that two missing fishermen will be found alive.
A massive air and sea search throughout the day off the coast of Gourdon for the 16-foot creel boat with two men onboard was called off as darkness fell on Tuesday evening. It was to resume at first light this morning.
The men, named locally as Jim Reid and his grandson David Irvine of Inverbervie, are understood to have gone out fishing at 4am and were due back at 10am.
The alarm was raised around noon by a member of the public when the fishing vessel was two hours overdue. The RAF search and rescue helicopter from Lossiemouth, Montrose all-weather and inshore lifeboats, Aberdeen all-weather lifeboat, four local fishing vessels, and coastguard rescue teams from Montrose and Carnoustie were involved in the operation, with visibility poor due to thick fog.
As news spread, family members, friends and locals began to gather in the harbour, anxiously awaiting news.
Robert Gove, 78, a retired lecturer, who has lived in Gourdon all his life, said he was fearful “something terrible has happened”.
“Everyone is fearing the worst,” he said. “We are all praying for their safe return but it’s a long time to be out at sea.
“It’s a small boat and you feel that something terrible has happened.”
The search initially focused on an area five miles between Gourdon to Todhead Point.
Later in the evening the search area was extended with the RAF helicopter going up to 20 miles offshore.
Calum McNichol, Watch Officer at Aberdeen Coastguard, said: “Rescue resources were quickly on scene and we have asked vessels in the area to help.
“The sea conditions are moderate and visibility is poor, due to thick fog.”
Mearns councillor Jean Dick joined the vigil at the harbour.
She told The Courier: “They left early this morning and no-one has heard from them or seen them so it’s a very anxious and worrying time.
“Gourdon is no stranger to tragedy if you know the history of it. Everyone is just stunned.
“We are waiting for news and people are worried. It’s obviously a very close-knit community and people are concerned.
“I haven’t spoken with the family but I believe the men are from Bervie.”
The vehicle the men had driven to the harbour remained parked just above the spot where the boat is normally berthed.
It also emerged that the 112-year-old herring drifter Reaper had earlier cancelled a planned visit to Gourdon, apparently due to the weather.
Reaper the flagship of the Anstruther-based Scottish Fisheries Museum was due to visit Gourdon today as part of an education tour up the east coast of Scotland.
However, it had cancelled the visit to instead go straight to Montrose from Stonehaven.