Emergency services launched a major operation yesterday evening, bringing in a helicopter which scanned the river looking for missing 41-year-old Brian Cowie.
Inspector Rory Caldow at Dumfries said: “We received a report at around 9 pm last night in relation to a man falling into the River Nith in Dumfries near to the rowing club.
“The man has now been confirmed as 41-year-old Brian Cowie who was residing at an address in Queensberry Street in Dumfries.
“He is described as being about 6ft tall and was last seen wearing a dark jacket, grey hooded top, light coloured jeans and grey/black shoes.”
A small army of emergency teams assembled in the Whitesands area last night, including Police Scotland, The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Nith Inshore Rescue Service and a helicopter from MCA at Prestwick.
Extensive searches have been carried out along the length of the River Nith down stream to the Solway Estuary, and these will continue today with the addition of volunteers from the Moffat Mountain Rescue Team.
Divers from the Police Scotland Underwater Unit will also attend to assist with the search.
Inspector Caldow said: “At this stage we would ask that anyone who may have any information which might assist us in the this search call us at Dumfries on the 101 number.”