Sea Eagle skipper presumed dead in lone fishing accident

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has released a report regarding the presumed drowning of 28-year-old skipper Ben Dowie, who went missing while operating the creel vessel Sea Eagle on 20 December 2025.

Dowie was fishing alone in the waters south-east of Montrose, Scotland, when he entered the sea. The vessel continued on autopilot after he disappeared, eventually running aground on Inverbervie beach. While the exact circumstances of how Dowie entered the water remain unknown, investigators noted that he was working multiple strings of creels, which increased the risk of entanglement.

A large-scale search and rescue operation involving HM Coastguard, RNLI lifeboats, helicopters, and several fishing vessels was conducted, but no trace of the skipper was found. The investigation highlighted the significant hazards of lone fishing operations and the difficulty of self-recovery in such incidents.