Bomb scare on CalMac ferry as passenger rescued from water
Arran ferry evacuated amid emergency
A busy CalMac ferry with more than 300 passengers on board was evacuated following a bomb threat made after a passenger was pulled from the water.
The 4.40pm sailing from Brodick to Ardrossan was thrown into high alert following the emergency incident.
A person was reported as being overboard from the MV Caledonian Isles during the crossing at around 5.30pm.
The ferry - which was steaming around 15 knots - made a hard turn to starboard in response to the alert while about 2.5 miles off the coast at Ardrossan
CalMac crew launched their Fast Rescue Craft and successfully rescued the man from the water.
But the emergency response escalated after the passenger then made a security threat to the crew that had pulled him to safety.
Police were alerted to the threat, and crew immediately commenced a search of the vessel.
As the ferry arrived at Ardrossan, all 329 passengers were disembarked via the gangway and taken to safety in a nearby Asda car park. Police also cleared the port.
Police searched the ferry for more than two hours before declaring that the situation had been resolved.
Passengers were then allowed back on board to recover their vehicles.
A 23-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident, which caused major disruption at the port and to subsequent sailings.
All remaining sailings from Ardrossan on Friday night were cancelled to allow crew to be debriefed and for emergency equipment to be replenished. Sailings on Saturday morning have also been cancelled, with a review planned for 10.30am for the 12.30pm sailing.
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CalMac CEO Duncan Mackison said: “This was a fast-moving situation that was handled professionally by our crew, Ardrossan port staff and emergency services and I would like to extend my thanks and gratitude to them.”
Any affected customers who had bookings are being contacted by CalMac customer services.
HM Coastguard confirmed it attended an incident off Ardrossan at around 5.25pm on Friday.
Coastguard rescue teams from Largs and Ardrossan, and Troon RNLI lifeboat, were sent.
A statement from Police Scotland said: “A 23-year-old man has been arrested following an incident on a ferry in Ardrossan.
“Around 5.45pm on Friday, 21 August, 2026, we were made aware that a man had gone overboard the vessel and had caused a disturbance and made threats when he was rescued by staff.
“Officers attended and a 23-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident. Enquiries are ongoing.”
Meanwhile, a body was recovered during a major search and rescue operation for a man who was reported to have fallen overboard from a cruise ship travelling from Lerwick to Dundee.
HM Coastguard said a passenger was reported overboard from the vessel Ambition around 36 nautical miles east of Arbroath, Angus, at around 8.35am on Friday.
It followed reports to crew that the man could not be found on the ship.
The vessel docked in Dundee and guests were allowed to disembark after a thorough ship-wide search was carried out.
On Friday evening, Police Scotland said that a body has been recovered.
Formal identification is yet to take place however police said the family of the man who was reported missing has been informed.
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