- Man was travelling on Amsterdam to North Shields ferry today but never arrived
- Coastguard and police were called at 12.15pm after a search couldn’t find him
- The ferry passenger is male, believed to be in his 60s and not from the UK
Helicopters and lifeboats are desperately scouring the sea after an elderly man disappeared from a ferry.
The man was travelling on a DFDS ferry from Amsterdam to North Shields, north east England, but never arrived when the boat docked at 9.45am.
Police and the coastguard were called at 12.15pm after a search of the boat and port terminal failed to find him.
He is believed to be in his 60s and not from the UK. A huge operation is now underway in a bid to rescue him.
Coastguard and police are pictured scouring the sea off the north coast of England after a man disappeared from a ferry sailing from Amsterdam to North Tyneside
The man was travelling on a DFDS ferry from Amsterdam to North Shields, north east England, but never arrived when the boat docked at 9.45am
The HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter based at Humberside was sent to the area and was searching with lifeboats from RNLI stations including Filey, Scarborough, Whitby, Hartlepool, Tynemouth and Blyth.
All vessels in the area have been alerted and Northumbria Police have been informed.
A police spokesman said: ‘The passenger, a foreign national aged in his 60s, was travelling on board the ferry but did not depart the vessel upon arrival in North Shields and cannot be found on board.
‘Enquiries are ongoing to trace the man, contact his next of kin and establish the circumstances around his disappearance.
‘Anyone with any information is asked to call police on 101, quoting log 413 08/03/18.’
Police and the coastguard were called at 12.15pm after a search of the boat and port terminal failed to find him
All vessels in the area have been alerted and Northumbria Police have been informed