HOPES WERE fading for missing fisherman Chris Mennie (52), of Portlethen, last night as a search of the coastline was called off at darkness.

Mr Mennie is feared drowned after the wreck of his creel boat washed up at Craigmaroinn in Portlethen Bay on Wednesday afternoon.

He is believed to have been the only person on board the 22ft Nadine II, which normally works in the Stonehaven area.

Rescue teams continued the search yesterday with a sweep of the coastline from the scene of the wreckage, north towards Findon Ness and southwards to Berrymuir Head.

A police search adviser at the scene was co-ordinating the search operation, which involved coastguard and lifeboat teams, police divers, a helicopter from RAF Lossiemouth and search and rescue dogs as well as an Aberdeen lifeboat and volunteers.

The Stonehaven Maritime Rescue Institute inshore lifeboat focused on a coastal search from Downies to Portlethen.

Local hospitals were also checked in the remote hope the missing man might have turned up in need of treatment.

He was last seen around 6am on Wednesday.

At 12.55pm there was a sighting of his boat on the choppy seas off Newton-hill.

He is believed to have been wearing a red checked shirt, a blue rain-type jacket and yellow oilskins.

Grampian Police Inspector Jim Gordon, who is co-ordinating the search, said, “It is not known what has befallen the missing man.

“His family are being kept informed of developments.

“It is not thought there was anyone else on board with him.

“We had positive sightings of his boat yesterday which indicated he was making for the area where the wreckage was found.

“We know that he has creels in this area and that is where we have been concentrating the search by the police underwater search unit.

“Our divers have been snorkelling in shallow areas. However our efforts to trace Mr Mennie have thus far been unsuccessful.”

He added that there were no plans to continue the search today, though that might change depending on overnight developments.