Guiding Star owners express gratitude for successful emergency response
THE OWNERS and skipper of a Peterhead-based fishing vessel that sank last week off Fair Isle have thanked all those who were involved in the rescue of the eight-strong crew.
The Guiding Star (H360) went down last Thursday following a collision with her sister vessel Guiding Light (H90) 45 miles south-east of Shetland.
Crew members took to a life raft – five were ultimately safely taken on board the Guiding Light and three crew were rescued by the Shetland coastguard search and rescue helicopter.
A spokesperson for owners Livingstone LLP said on Monday: “Both ourselves and the skipper of the vessel would like to pay tribute to all of those who participated in the safe rescue of the crew.
“Our thanks go HM Coastguard for co-ordinating the rescue, the Sumburgh Coastguard helicopter crew, the Gilbert Bain Hospital in Lerwick, the Scottish Ambulance Service in Shetland, those vessels that were near the scene of the incident that stood by and the Fishermen’s Mission in Shetland, Inverness, Peterhead and Aberdeen for ongoing support.”
The crew of the Guiding Star declared a mayday before abandoning ship at around midday on Thursday (6 October).
Coastguard spokesperson Max Rimington said at the time: “The crew did the right thing by having an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) onboard which helped guide the response.
“We are so thankful everyone is accounted for and grateful to the crew, and the nearby vessels which responded, for helping us achieve a good outcome.”
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has been informed and an investigation into what exactly caused the collision and subsequent sinking of one of the vessels is under way.
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