Woman dies in Arbroath cliffs plunge tragedy after rescue alert

Police have confirmed the death of a woman in an Arbroath cliffs incident on Thursday night.

The woman was recovered from the sea following a major emergency response in the area north of Victoria Park and rushed to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee but did not survive.

Her identity and age have not been released but police have said there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

The major emergency response was launched around 7.15pm with police, ambulance, coastguard and lifeboat personnel involved.

Arbroath all-weather lifeboat Inchcape and inshore craft Robert Fergusson were both tasked as part of the response.

The woman was picked up by lifeboat personnel and transferred to the RNLI station at the harbour before being taken to Ninewells.

A police spokesman said: “Police Scotland can confirm that a woman has died after an incident at Arbroath cliffs yesterday evening at around 7.15pm.

“There are no suspicious circumstances and a report has been sent to the procurator fiscal.”

A coastguard spokesman said: “The Arbroath lifeboat and Arbroath in-shore lifeboat were launched, as well as the Carnoustie Coastguard Rescue Team and the Montrose Coastguard Rescue team.

“We were contacted for assistance at 7.40pm.”

Lifeboat crews were stood down around 40 minutes later.

A spokesman for Arbroath lifeboat station added: “The casualty was rescued and brought back to the lifeboat station and on to an ambulance.”

Later on Thursday night, Broughty Ferry lifeboat crew rescued a woman who fell from the Tay Road Bridge.

The incident happened just after 10pm and resulted in the closure of the bridge in both directions for a short time.

Coastguard teams from St Andrews and Carnoustie were also sent to assist.

The casualty was transferred into the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service but is not thought to have suffered serious injury in the incident.