Female pensioner, 70, dies after fall from Shetland cliff as rescue boats and helicopter launched

A 70-year-old woman tragically died after plummeting from a cliff in today.

Emergency services, including and HM Coastguard, a rescue 900 helicopter, a lifeboat, and the Scottish Fire and Rescue boat from Sumburgh, were scrambled to the scene around 1pm, according to the .

The elderly woman fell from a cliff near St Ninian's Isle and was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. Her family has been informed. Authorities have stated there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident and a report will be forwarded to the Procurator Fiscal.

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Police Chief Inspector Chris Sewell confirmed: "Around 1pm on Friday, May 23, 2025, we were called to a report of a woman having fallen from a cliff near to St Ninian's Isle, Shetland. Emergency services attended and a 70-year-old woman was pronounced dead. Her next of kin is aware There are no suspicious circumstances and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal in due course."

St Ninian's Isle is a small tied island connected by the largest tombolo in the UK to the south-western coast of the Mainland, Shetland, in Scotland. St Ninian's is one of the finest sand tombolos in Europe, and it is the largest active tombolo in the UK.

The St Ninian's Isle beach, like many in Scotland, is picturesque, often featured in promotional material and photographs of Shetland. The beach is in a rural farming region, with an archaeological site located on St. Ninians Isle.

In a separate incident on Wednesday, a man tragically drowned after emergency services were called to a beauty spot in Scotland. Police, fire engines and ambulances rushed to Devil's Pulpit in Stirlingshire around 1.30pm on May 21, following reports of concern for an individua, reports .

A mountain rescue team also assisted emergency services but sadly a man was pronounced dead at the scene There are no suspicious circumstances and a report will be made to the Procurator Fiscal. All roads that were previously closed due to the incident have now reopened.

A spokesperson for the force disclosed: "Around 1.30pm on Wednesday, 21 May, 2025 we received a report of a concern for a person at Finnich Glen, Stirlingshire. Emergency services, including Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and a mountain rescue team, attended and the body of a man was recovered from the water at Devil's Pulpit.

"He was pronounced dead at the scene. There are no suspicious circumstances and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal. The A809 from Croftamie to Finnich Toll and the B834 at the junction to the A81 were closed to allow emergency services access. The roads have since re-opened."