Lerwick lifeboat responds to Mayday call off Fair Isle in early hours

LERWICK lifeboat was called to aid a fishing trawler which issued a Mayday call off the coast of Fair Isle in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

HM Coastguard called out the Lerwick lifeboat crew at around 3am to assist a 28-metre Peterhead-registered trawler, which was taking water in below deck at listing at around 25 degrees.

The vessel was located around 15 nautical miles southeast of Fair Isle, where its nearby pair trawler had taken in fishing gear to help.

Both the lifeboat and the Sumburgh-based coastguard helicopter went to the scene, with the lifeboat arriving at around 5am.

The crew of the stricken trawler had been able to stem the ingress of water into the steering compartment, thought to have been caused by a faulty valve, and her pumps were reducing the volume of water below decks.

The pair trawler took her partner under tow, and the two vessels began to make way south to Peterhead.

Lerwick lifeboat left the scene around 6am and the crew returned to Lerwick harbour at around 9am, to refuel the lifeboat ready for next service.

This was the second launch for Lerwick Lifeboat in just over 12 hours, with the crew having carried out a search east of Unst the previous afternoon, following a report of an automated distress alert – although nothing was found.

RNLI coxswain afloat mechanic John Connor, who is currently providing coxswain cover for Lerwick lifeboat, said they were pleased that the crew of the trawler had been able to manage the situation.

“The skipper of the vessel did the right thing in contacting the coastguard as soon as they realised they needed assistance,” he added.