Two fishermen have been rescued from the shoreline after their boat sank off Carloway,
Lewis.
The men transmitted a Mayday radio alert around 3pm, requesting immediate assistance.
They managed to give their location before abandoning their boat to a liferaft.
The vessel is local, believed to be a shellfish boat working out of Carloway harbour.
Coastguards picked up a faint and broken call on Channel 16 and scrambled the Stornoway
rescue helicopter.
Stornoway, Ness and Breasclete coastguard rescue teams were also sent to the scene.
The two crew members were winched from the shoreline into the aircraft and taken to Stornoway airfield where they were met by an ambulance for medical attention.
Western Isles fishing boat sinks
12 October 2016
UK Coastguard duty controller at Stornoway, Angus Maciver, said: "It would appear
that the fishermen’s vessel sank very quickly, and we were very lucky that they managed
to give us their exact position before they abandoned their vessel.
"The helicopter arrived on scene within minutes and was able to locate and rescue the two men from a remote area on the west.
"Despite their ordeal, it would appear that they are in relatively good health but
they have been taken to hospital by ambulance as a precautionary measure.
"We are
in the process of establishing what occurred to the vessel and will monitor the debris
of the boat in case it washes ashore.
"We have also notified our counter pollution team of possible fuel being lost from the vessel.
"Police Scotland are also aware of the incident."