Man dies in ship fire

A man has been found dead after a ship caught fire in a North Sea port, emergency services said today.

Police, firefighters and the coastguard were called after the fire was spotted at about 8.30am today in Peterhead harbour in Aberdeenshire.

Grampian Police confirmed that one person, understood to be a male, was found dead on board the supply vessel, which is used to take food and other goods to and from oil rigs.

The fire is believed to have started on the ship’s lower deck.

A spokesman for Aberdeen Coastguard said the vessel was moored in the harbour and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) would be investigating the incident.

Grampian Fire Brigade, which sent four appliances to the scene, said the bulkheads would be closed to allow the ship’s carbon dioxide firefighting equipment to be deployed.

Police said the dead man’s details would not be released until relatives had been contacted.