Man’s body recovered after van plunges into harbour

A MAN’s body was recovered from a harbour yesterday, only hours after he had plunged into the sea in a van.

Onlookers watched in horror as the vehicle appeared to be driven into Fraserburgh Harbour in Aberdeenshire on Tuesday evening.

Witnesses alerted the emergency services, sparking a full-scale search that lasted into the early hours of yesterday morning.

Police divers recovered the vehicle from the harbour with the deceased man still inside. He was later named as Greig Wood, 48, who lived in the nearby village of New Pitsligo with his mother Sylvia.

A police spokesman said: ‘Following the report of a motor vehicle having entered Fraserburgh Harbour at about 8.50pm on Tuesday, a Police Scotland Dive and Marine Unit was deployed.

‘In the early hours of Wednesday, with assistance from the Fraserburgh RNLI Life- boat, a vehicle was recovered with the body of a male within. He was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

‘It is not believed that there are any suspicious circumstances at this stage. A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal in due course.’

Eyewitnesses said the van had plunged into the water from the harbour’s north breakwater.

One local resident, who did not wish to be named, said: ‘Dozens of people came out and joined the search. They stood at the edge of the quayside with torches pointed at the water where the vehicle was believed to have gone under.’

Mr Wood’s next of kin are believed to have been informed of his death by police yesterday.

Nationalist Stuart Pratt, who represents Peterhead South and Cruden on Aberdeenshire Council and who lives in New Pitsligo, said: ‘My heartfelt condolences go out to his family at this time.’