Emergency services aid stricken fishing trawler
28 March 2023
A stricken Stornoway trawler was at the centre of an maritime emergency in the Minch today.
The vessel issued an emergency alert at 10.35am, reporting she was taking in water with three crew members onboard.
Stornoway coastguard helicopter flew to the 16-metre-long vessel which had been steaming between the Shiants and Loch Gairloch.
RNLI lifeboats from Portree and Stornoway were also called out.
A number of fishing vessels and work boats also responded to the emergency alert.
CalMac ferry MV Hebrides initially responded on hearing the alert with her officer on watch carrying out a U-turn in east Loch Tarbert, setting course to the location. However, shortly afterwards she was stood down, apparently as other boats were closer to the scene and the helicopter was en route.
The casualty vessel used a salvage pump to pump out water.
The prawn boat is heading back to her home port escorted by Stornoway lifeboat.
