THE first of nine coastguard stations scheduled for closure around the UK has transmitted its last broadcast, leaving the east coast of Scotland covered by a handful of staff based in Aberdeen.
Forth Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre, which has overseen coastal rescues for more than a century, closed shortly after lunchtime yesterday as a controversial modernisation programme began.
Its demise was hailed as the end of an era and prompted fresh warnings that maritime safety will suffer as rescues are co-ordinated by fewer staff working from more remote stations.
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