Lifeboat tows broken down creel boat to safety
THE AITH Lifeboat was called out on Friday morning to assist a small local fishing boat to safety.
The eight metre vessel, working in Papa Sound, suffered engine failure at around 9.40am.
The volunteer crew of Aith’s Severn class lifeboat Charles Lidbury were called out to respond, and arrived on the scene off Shetland’s west side shortly before 10.30am.
With no other vessels operating in the area, it was decided to begin towing the single-crew creel boat back to the safety of the nearby port of West Burrafirth.
The towing operation, completed safely in mild but misty conditions, saw the stricken fishing vessel back into harbour by 12.20pm, with the lifeboat then returning to station in Aith by 1pm.
Aith Lifeboat coxswain John Robertson said: “The skipper of this peerie fishing vessel did absolutely the right thing in calling for help, and the highly-skilled RNLI volunteers who help crew the Aith Lifeboat once again responded professionally – doing a fantastic job.”
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