UPDATE: search for man overboard called off after false alarm

The search for what was believed to be a man overboard has been called off, after the lifejacket emitting an emergency signal was found on land.

The alert went out just before 10.45am this morning (Wednesday) and had the coastguard helicopter and search and rescue boat sweeping the waters just south east of Sumburgh for the best part of an hour.

“The man overboard device was found to be onshore,” however, the coastguard said, shortly after the search was called off at 12.22pm.

Flight tracking shows the coastguard helicopter lifting off from Sumburgh shortly after 11.15am and beginning to trace a search pattern over water just southeast of the airport

The search and rescue boat launched at a similar time, and after tracking through water in the same area for roughly 20 minutes began following the coastline clockwise around up to Quendale, according to its AIS tracker.

Covering for the Lerwick crew while they visit Kirkwall to pickup a relief vessel, the Aith lifeboat also launched at 11.20am and began sailing south.