Coastguard tug called to fish carrier

The Orkney based Coastguard emergency tug is on the scene of a live fish carrier which got into difficulties off Cape Wrath last night in a westerly gale last night.

At just after 8pm yesterday the Lerwick registered fish carrier Norholm informed Stornoway Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre that they had lost engine power and were drifting towards Cape Wrath in a westerly gale. The vessel has four crew onboard, and is 32 metres long.

The Norholm crew tried to use its anchors to keep itself away from the shoreline but this wasn’t working and so Stornoway Coastguard Station tasked Lochinver lifeboat to the scene, to help hold the Norholm away from the shoreline.

The Coastguard rescue helicopter based in Stornoway was also sent to the scene in case the crew of the Norholm needed to abandon their vessel.

The Lochinver lifeboat succeeded in taking the boat back out to sea and around Cape Wrath. The Coastguard rescue helicopter then returned to  base and Thurso lifeboat headed to the scene to take over from their Lochinver colleagues.

During this time the tug Herakles made its way to the vessel from its base in Kirkwall.

Giving an update at 10.30am, a Coastguard spokesman said that the tug had a tow line attached to the vessel, and they were heading for Thurso Bay.

Shetland Coastguard are now co-ordinating the response as the Norholm is now in their area.