Body found on Largs beach in search for man who fell from Arran ferry
A man's body was found in the Largs area a week after 82-year-old Jim Wither went overboard from a CalMac ferry bound for Arran. Police say formal identification is pending and the death is not suspicious.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Police Scotland said a man's body was found in the Largs beach area, North Ayrshire, on Sunday 25 October. Daily MirrorL “Police Scotland has now confirmed that a man's body was discovered in the Largs beach area on Sunday, October 25.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ BBC NewsN “The body of a missing ferry passenger who fell overboard has been found on a beach in North Ayrshire.” Read at BBC News ↗ Mixed · 2Formal identification has not yet taken place, but the family of 82-year-old Jim Wither, who was reported missing from Johnstone, Renfrewshire, has been informed. BBC NewsN “Formal identification has yet to take place, but the family of Jim Wither has been informed.” Read at BBC News ↗ MetroLC “Formal identification is yet to take place, however the family of 82-year-old Jim Wither, who was reported missing from Johnstone, have been informed.” Read at Metro ↗ Mixed · 2Police said the death is not being treated as suspicious and a report will go to the Procurator Fiscal in due course. Daily MirrorL “The death is not being treated as suspicious and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal in due course.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ BBC NewsN “Officers said the death was not being treated as suspicious” Read at BBC News ↗
Mixed · 2HM Coastguard responded to a report of a man going overboard from the MV Caledonian Isles near Arran at about 20:30 on Sunday 18 October; the man was understood to have boarded the ferry at Ardrossan. BBC NewsN “HM Coastguard responded to a report of a man going overboard from the MV Caledonian Isles near Arran about 20:30 on Sunday 18 October.” Read at BBC News ↗ Daily MirrorL “It is believed Jim boarded a ferry travelling from Ardrossan to the Isle of Arran on the day he disappeared.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Mixed · 2The search involved two helicopters, a coastguard aircraft, RNLI lifeboats and rescue teams from Arran, Ayr, Ardrossan and Greenock; lifeboats from Girvan and Campbeltown also took part. Daily MirrorL “involving two coastguard helicopters and a rescue aeroplane. Rescue teams from Arran, Ayr, Ardrossan and Greenock were also involved in the operation, alongside RNLI lifeboats from Girvan and Campbeltown.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ BBC NewsN “Two helicopters, a coastguard aircraft, Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboats and rescue teams from the surrounding area were sent to find the passenger” Read at BBC News ↗ Mixed · 2The BBC reports the search was called off at 16:55 on Monday, while Metro gives the time as 4.55am. BBC NewsN “the search was called off at 16:55 on Monday.” Read at BBC News ↗ MetroLC “which was called off at 4.55am on Monday.” Read at Metro ↗
Left · 1CalMac said last week that it and the crew of MV Caledonian Isles were assisting Police Scotland and HM Coastguard with an ongoing enquiry regarding a missing person. Daily MirrorL “CalMac and the crew from MV Caledonian Isles are assisting Police Scotland and HM Coastguard with an ongoing enquiry regarding a missing person.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Left · 1Metro linked the incident to Storm Boelo, which the other two outlets do not mention. MetroLC “A body has been found after a pensioner fell from a Scottish ferry during Storm Boelo.” Read at Metro ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Short news reports built on the Police Scotland statement and earlier CalMac comment; Metro adds weather context.
- Emphasis
- The search operation and the police statement; Metro adds Storm Boelo.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither gives the 20:30 time of the report to the coastguard; the Mirror omits when the search ended.
- Charged language
- “pensioner”
- For example
-
“An extensive search was launched last weekend after Jim was reported missing” — Daily Mirror
“A body has been found after a pensioner fell from a Scottish ferry during Storm Boelo.” — Metro
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Concise factual report led by the discovery of the body and the pending identification.
- Emphasis
- The timeline of the coastguard response and when the search was stood down.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not include the CalMac statement or mention the weather.
- For example
-
“The body of a missing ferry passenger who fell overboard has been found on a beach in North Ayrshire.” — BBC News
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- A body was found in the Largs beach area on Sunday 25 October.
- The family of 82-year-old Jim Wither, reported missing from Johnstone, has been informed; formal identification is pending.
- Police are not treating the death as suspicious and will report to the Procurator Fiscal.
- The man went overboard from a CalMac ferry (MV Caledonian Isles) on 18 October.
Where accounts differ
-
When the initial search was called off
- Left
- Metro says 4.55am on Monday.
- Centre
- BBC says 16:55 on Monday.
-
The man's name
- Left
- Metro uses 'Jim Withers' in its lede, 'John Wither' in a caption and 'Jim Wither' in the police quote; the Mirror uses 'Jim Wither'.
- Centre
- BBC uses 'Jim Wither'.
-
A man's body was found in the Largs beach area on Sunday 25 October.
Reported- Reports 3
- Daily Mirror, Metro, BBC News
-
Police are not treating the death as suspicious.
Reported- Reports 3
- Daily Mirror, Metro, BBC News
CalMac Ferries organisation
CalMac said it and the crew of MV Caledonian Isles were assisting Police Scotland and HM Coastguard with the enquiry.
“CalMac and the crew from MV Caledonian Isles are assisting Police Scotland and HM Coastguard with an ongoing enquiry regarding a missing person.” — Daily Mirror
Left2 articles
-
Body found in search for pensioner who fell overboard from Scottish ferry
Neutral Straight report quoting the Police Scotland statement and listing the search resources.
-
MetroLC ·
Body found in search for pensioner who fell off ferry
Neutral Straight report adding the storm context, with inconsistent spelling of the man's name and place names.
Centre1 article
-
Body found in search for man who fell overboard from ferry
Neutral Brief factual report with the coastguard timeline.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 25 Oct 15:33 First Daily MirrorL Body found in search for pensioner who fell overboard from Scottish ferry
- 25 Oct 16:14 +41m BBC NewsN Body found in search for man who fell overboard from ferry
- 25 Oct 17:50 +2h 17m MetroLC Body found in search for pensioner who fell off ferry
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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