Helicopter over Victoria Walk?

[flowertot]

Does anyone know about the helicopter that is circulating round Thurso now. Think it must be a coastguard one, hope nothing too serious, especially at this time of year.

[JammyDodger69]

Anyone know why the helecopter is over the cliffs with the search light on, looked as tho it was searching over the houses also?

Cal

[loganbiffy]

Was right above my house in Burnside 5 minutes ago, shining its light all over the place. No sure what the crack is though.

[Razz]

The coastguards etc are searching for a missing person

[JammyDodger69]

i know i'm on east church st, and it was shining over here too.

Is it someone at the cliffs or a boat or something?

[ks]

Its been about for over an hour but thought it was too high to be searching, I thought it was maybe a training exercise.

[pads1]

They are looking in the gardens at burnside as well - also the fields between the road and vikky walk and down the back burn between gills n burnside.. also in the water.. strange

[poppett]

Old man missing from Bayview House with one shoe and one slipper, so rumour has it. Hope they find him as doubt he will be dressed for the weather. Other half off out to search round the streets for him.

[NickInTheNorth]

well if it is someone missing at sea they do also search the land in case they make it to shore, and then collapse with exhaustion / hypothermia.

Hope it is just and exercise :(

[Raven]

The helicopter arrived at about 19.00, before that a boat was firing flares and searching with a light beam over the bay. Men were looking with torches along the shore...
Hopefully that have found what they were looking for!

[pads1]

oh gosh - that could be it then - that would make sense.. off to look round my garden (we are burnside)

[bekisman]

On BBC web:

Search under way for missing man
Concern is growing for the well-being of an elderly man missing in Thurso.
Dennis Slater, 72, was last seen in the grounds of the Pentland Nursing Home at 1600 GMT on Thursday.
Grampian Police and the coastguard are both involved in the search for Mr Slater, who they say is likely to be very confused.
He is described as 5ft, slim build, with grey/brown hair. He was wearing a dark coloured jacket and jeans and also one training shoe and a slipper. Anyone who spots Mr Slater is asked to contact police.

[Dog-eared]

I would suggest that anyone reading this who lives on that side of town check their gardens. Now .
It all helps.
The poor guy could've wandered anywhere.

Hope they find the gentleman.

[cuddlepop]

I hope they find him soon its not a night to be out.:(

[poppett]

Thanks bekisman for getting the home right. When we were told it was Bayview that made sense as there has been a huge search over the glebe the last hour or so, helicopter flying low over the gardens.

[starry]

Oh Bless him, I hope they find him ok.

[mums angels]

I hope he returns safely and especially before the weather gets worse , i was watching the boats and flares going off as having my dinner then the helicopters arrived , i figured it must have been search and rescue , what a shame :(

[karia]

Oh Bless him, I hope they find him ok.

I second that Starry!

Hoping for a happy outcome.

[pads1]

They have just knocked on our door in burnside to check the garden (we did it already) - so more checks.. still so sign...:( Its freezing

[lil_kim]

very sad to hear. i hope hes found safe and well soon. such horrible weather tonight as well :(

[Ash]

hope he is found safe :(

[unicorn]

What a terrible time for this poor man and his family,they must be beside themselves with worry. I really do hope it all turns out all right for them all.

[connieb19]

Poor manie, I hope he turns up safe and well. :(

[ellie-lou]

i think you have made mistake wie e name,its actually dennis salter many of you probably no him he used to work for the post office(van driver).

[crashbandicoot1979]

i think you have made mistake wie e name,its actually dennis salter many of you probably no him he used to work for the post office(van driver).

yeah, bbc website has the wrong name. Hope he turns up safe and sound soon.

[plumber]

Hope they find him soon, the weather is turning very stormy now

[alanatkie]

poor man being out in this weather. Hope he is found safe.

[drmopp]

Don't know what it's doing, apart from the fact it's hovering not far from my house and isn't very high at all. It must be a coastguard one, it's yellow in any case.

As I write this it's started moving again....

[Anne x]

As someone missing with dementia from one of the homes god love em please let this work out for the family concerned lifeboat and helicpoter called off for tonight

[Anne x]

God I hope so he is a lovely man and delivered the mail for years got a call tonight about it please let it be okay for his son and family

[stromaboy]

The man was found on the beach near to the burn at East Gill[Near Rocket house].Flown to Raigmore Hospital by Rescue Helecopter.

[Anne x]

Thank you stroma boy hope to god he is okay for Karen and stevie and all the family please let this one be a good result

[hell raizer]

i hope he is ok and everything turns out for him and the family

[changilass]

Glad to hear he has been found and hope he is home safe and well very soon

[Mr P Cannop]

hope the man is safe and well

[thebigman]

Sadly he was found last nite at around 11 and pronounced dead at hospital.

Lots of folk know the poor guy.

[flowertot]

Just heard on MFR that they found the man in the sea at 2250hrs, but unfortunately he was pronounced dead at Raigmore Hospital. Thoughts go out to his family at this sad time.

[Mik.M.]

Poor man, thoughts are with his family:cry:

[TRUCKER]

Such a sad loss thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

[starry]

I am really sorry to hear this, what an awful thing to happen.

[unicorn]

Dennis truly was a lovely lovely man, always a smile for everyone and a very kind man. I remember when I was suffering terrible sickness when pregnant and he would come in to where I worked and give me a sweetie and a smile and tell me it wouldn't last forever. My heart goes out to his family at this terrible time. He will be remembered with many fond smiles by many people.

[alanatkie]

Such a shame, more so at this time of year, thoughts go out to the family.

[cuddlepop]

Such a sad end to this thread.:~(

If its any comfort at least he's been found.

[poppett]

What a tragic end. Thoughts with the family at this sad time

[saxovtr]

:~( thats a shame on the poor man

[Anne x]

Such a sad end to this thread.:~(

If its any comfort at least he's been found.

Very sad end our thoughts and love go out to his Son Daughter and Grandchildren

[bekisman]

Don't like copying stuff from the news, but thought folk may like to know a bit more detail on this tragedy:

Pensioner plucked from sea dies
A pensioner who went missing from a Thurso nursing home has died after being plucked from the sea by the emergency services.
Dennis Salter, 72, was last seen in the grounds of the Pentland Nursing Home in Thurso at 1600 GMT on Thursday.
A search dog on its first call out indicated to a RAF Lossiemouth rescue helicopter crew where Mr Slater was.
He was pronounced dead at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness. Police will submit a report to the procurator fiscal.
Northern Constabulary, Thurso lifeboat, Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), Assynt Mountain Rescue Team and the Search and Rescue Dog Association (SARDA) were involved in the search.
Newly-qualified search dog Skye was the first to indicate where Mr Slater was in the sea.
The two-year-old border collie's handler, Assynt MRT member Innes Beaton, said the RAF helicopter crew made a sweep of the area and located the pensioner on a second search after refuelling.
Mr Slater was recovered from the water at West Gills at 2250 GMT. Skye was one of nine search and rescue dogs and their handlers to be tested in a training exercise in Glencoe in March.

[nanoo]

So sorry to read the old man has been found dead. What a terrible thing to have happened, my thoughts go to his family at this time and God Bless them all.:~(

[Dusty]

Very sad, poor soul.
There's no good time but at this time of the year it has to especially hard to loose someone.

[jings00]

a hellish thing indeed, to have happened. sincere condolonces to his family.

[johno]

my deepest condolences to his family.
such a shame that his life should end this way. :(

[lagertops]

R.I.P My thoughts to Stevie and Karen

[karia]

A sad day!

Karia

[Margaret M.]

So very sad. RIP, Mr. Slater.

[Sporran]

I'm very sorry to hear of the sad outcome of this story as well, and my heartfelt sympathy goes out to the poor man's family. :(

[bluelady]

very sad to hear, condolences to his family

[huh]

Very sad indeed. We were watching the helicopter searching the sea from the window. I was hoping it was just someone in a boat who lost their way or something.