A trawlerman has died while on holiday with his family in Spain.
Steven West, from Banff, is believed to have fallen ill on Wednesday night and went to bed in the resort town of Torremolinos.
Yesterday, friends confirmed the 45-year-old had died and described him as a “brilliant guy” who would be a “big miss”.
The Foreign Office confirmed they were providing consular assistance to his family.
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It is understood Mr West and his wife Leandra flew to the Costa del Sol on Sunday.
Father-of-four Mr West was an engineer and worked on board the Peterhead-registered pelagic boat Kings Cross.
He ran his own company, West Sea Services, where his wife is also a director.
Just last week, he had been in Skagen, Denmark working on the Kings Cross.
The 255ft long vessel is owned by Peterhead-based firm Lunar and is currently anchored in the town’s port.
A friend of Mr West’s, who did not want to be named, paid tribute to him and said he would be a “big miss.”
He said: “He was a really fine guy, a very hard worker and a brilliant engineer. He loved his family and he will be a big miss to everyone.”
Mr West was a father of two boys and two girls and it is understood he celebrated his daughter’s wedding last November.
Banff councillor John Cox said Mr West’s death was a “travesty”, adding it will hit the community hard, and have a “big ripple effect”.
He said Mr West and his relatives were “well known” around the north-east and within the fishing industry.
Mr Cox said: “He and his family were well known in this area and it is an absolute travesty.
“This is a shock and it puts everything into perspective. My thoughts are with his wife and family.”
Last night, a Foreign Office spokesman said they were helping Mr West’s family following his death and were also speaking to the authorities in the town.
He said: “Our consular staff are assisting the family of a British man who has died in Torremolinos, and are in contact with the Spanish authorities.”
