Kirkwall lifeboat goes to aid of creel boat

A Westray creel boat with rope in its propeller was prevented from drifting into rocks after Kirkwall RNLI Lifeboat came to the rescue, yesterday.

The RNLI Lifeboat station at Kirkwall were paged by the Coastguard at 11:46 am and were informed that the creel boat had called to say her propeller was fouled with a rope and they were drifting towards the rocks at Noup Head Westray.

The lifeboat proceeded to the scene arriving at 1pm and a tow line was quickly connected.

The vessel was towed to Pierowall harbour, Westray, and she was safely tied up there by 3:15 pm. The creel boat crew very generously rewarded the Lifeboat crew with a bucket of Partans and Lobsters.

Kirkwall lifeboat departed Pierowall at 3:30 pm and arrived back in Kirkwall at 5:00 pm and was refuelled, ready for sea again by 5:15 pm.

Coxswain Dougie Bain said: “It was quite rumbly and breezy off the Noup with a three-metre swell running. The crew did a great job connecting up the tow and bringing the boat in to safety in Pierowall.”