Emergency services call off river search

EMERGENCY services have called off a search operation after responding to reports of a man in the River Ness.

The man is understood to have entered the water at the Greig Street bridge at around 2.40pm.

Police and the coastguard searched the river bank and the water, concentrating on the area from the Black Bridge, at Merkinch, past the harbour and out to the Moray Firth.

However, the search was called off at 4.45pm.

Hamish Young, the coastguard section manager said that initial reports indicated that the man is about 5ft 7in, was wearing white clothing and was possibly intoxicated when he went into the water.

"A multi agency search was put into force involving the police, the fire brigade, the coast guard, the RNLI and the Sea King helicopter from RAF Lossiemouth.

"A thorough search of the river area has already been done and that will be repeated."

Searchers hoped the man had been pinned somewhere along the river bank and not swept out to sea.

However Mr Young acknowledged that the river level is high.

A police spokesman said they received several reports from members of the public in the town that a male person entered the water.