All persons onboard a sinking fishing vessel have been rescued.
The Irish operated FV Sainte Catherine Laboure foundered after getting into difficulty while working deep sea fishing grounds over 200 miles west off the Hebrides late on Thursday night.
The 24-metre-long Donegal vessel was trawling for haddock by the Rockall Bank.
With an overwhelming volume of water rising within the boat, the six crew members scrambled into a liferaft and stood off at a distance.
Coastguards picked up a distress signal transmitted from the vessel’s EPIRB device, relayed by an overhead satellite to maritime shore stations.
UK Coastguard then broadcast an emergency alert to all ships in the area and the Fraserburgh boat, FV Good Hope, headed to the scene, picking up the men from the liferaft.
The fishery cruiser patrol vessel, Jura, also steamed to the incident.
The crew are said to be “safe and well” after their ordeal.
The Good Hope is on her way to Ullapool with the men, where she are due to arrive tomorrow.
A coastguard spokesperson said: “Just after 10.50pm on 20 June, HM Coastguard received an emergency position indicating radio beacon [signal] from a vessel with six people on board around 220 nautical miles west of Barra.
“The Irish-registered fishing vessel was reported to be sinking and the six people
on board had abandoned to the liferaft, taking the beacon and communications equipment
with them.
“Five vessels in the immediate local area were sent to assist. All six crew were recovered safe and well to a vessel.
“The fishing vessel later sank and the vessel’s owners were informed. Counter pollution was informed.”
Crew abandon sinking fishing trawler off Rockall
21 June 2024
