A major multi-agency search operation was launched off Arbroath on Friday after a transit van caught fire on the cliff top in the early hours of the morning.
Emergency personnel rushed to the scene and local lifeboat crews were dispatched just after 8am as a precautionary measure.
Witnesses at the scene reported seeing police and coastguard personnel scouring the area, whilst Scottish Fire and Rescue personnel were in attendance to extinguish the blaze.
Police officers inspected the vehicle which was set on fire shortly before 2am.
One local dog walker said he was “shocked” to see a vehicle so close to the cliff edge.
He said: “I have no idea how a van has even managed to get to this location.”
Another local added: “There are still dozens of coastguards searching the nearby shoreline.
“I think people will be mystified how the van has gotten up here.
“The paths are really tight for a transit van and it doesn’t appear it has come through the farmer’s fence from the nearby estate.”
David Wishart, 66, from Carnousite said he was “stunned” to see the van so near the cliff edge.
He added: “We are up here fairly regularly and certainly didn’t expect to see this.
Lifeboat called out to Arbroath Cliffs following overnight van fire
“I’m stunned how the vehicle got up here in the first place, there is no break in the fence to suggest it has come through the farmer’s field.”
Arbroath’s RNLI lifeboats were involved in the multi agency search along the local cliffs following the discovery of the burned out van.
A request for assistance was received from HM Coastguard at approximately 8.15am and both the all weather and inshore lifeboats were launched a short time later.
For approximately three hours the volunteer lifeboat crews joined HM Coastguard and Police Scotland in carrying out a detailed coastal search which was concentrated in the area between the Whiting Ness and Deil’s Heid area of the cliffs.
Upon completion of the search both lifeboats remained on scene as safety back up while the land search concluded before being stood down at 11.55am.
A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Police Scotland attended in the area of Arbroath cliffs about 1.40am this morning in response to reports of a vehicle on fire.
“The fire was extinguished by SFRS and confirmed no-one had been within.
“Inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.”
