Search ends despite wife's plea

Julia Gardner made an appeal to Norwegian authorities

The search for a trawler crew missing in the North Sea has been called off despite a plea by the skipper's wife.

Julia Gardner urged the Norwegian authorities not to give up while a second life raft had not been found.

Four men on the Meridian went missing on Thursday, in storms 160 miles east of Aberdeen.

Arrangements are now being made for relatives to travel to Norway to identify a body which was found in the water on Friday.

The crew has been named as 49-year-old skipper Martin Gardner, Edward Gardner, 50, and Ian Donald, 55, all from Anstruther, Fife, and Sidney Low, 52, from Aberdeen.

Julia Gardner, wife of Martin Gardner, said she believed the men could still be alive.

I just think if they're under cover there's a possibility they could still be there Julia Gardner

But the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the coastguard in Norway, who had been co-ordinating the search, called off the "thorough and wide-ranging" hunt for the missing vessel as twilight approached on Saturday evening.

Aberdeen Coastguard watch manager Asad Manesh said: "Following a high quality search by both British and Norwegian resources, as well as a number of fishing vessels and oil stand-by vessels, the search has been terminated.

"Sadly, one body has been located, but no further evidence was found of the other three men."

The Norwegian Coastguard, said they considered the area had been very well searched and they had no plans to continue their operations on Sunday.

Debris and an empty raft were found on Friday, but the Meridian was equipped with a second life raft, which had been the focus of the search on Saturday.

The missing men hail from north east Fife and Aberdeen Enlarge Image

Further debris and a survival bag was found, but nothing directly identifiable as coming from the Meridian.

The Kirkcaldy-registered vessel was caught up in force 10 storms when it disappeared off the radar on Thursday.

On Saturday Mrs Gardner said there was one life raft still unaccounted for and that gave her hope that three of the men could still be alive.

She said: "I don't think 40 hours is nearly enough and I think with daylight and better weather they can easily do another day.

"We just think three of them are in that life raft somewhere.

"If that's your husband, brother, son or dad, you have to try one more day - just one more day of daylight."

We are doing everything we can to give the East Neuk families our help and support Supt Bill Lawrie Fife Constabulary

She said the men each had 30 years of seafaring experience and were used to harsh weather conditions.

"Yes they'll be cold and wet, they'll be hungry and thirsty, but I just think if they're under cover there's a possibility they could still be there," she said.

"If they're under cover in a life raft we have to give it a shot."

Meanwhile family liaison officers from Fife Constabulary will accompany family members to Norway for the identification process of the body that was found.

Supt Bill Lawrie added: "We are doing everything we can to give the East Neuk families our help and support."