Radioactive waste ship sparks emergency

The ship carrying radioactive waste which was at the centre of an emergency last night, has arrived within the harbour limits of the Cromarty Firth.

The Danish registered Parida, which had earlier sailed through the Pentland Firth, was carrying a cargo of radioactive concrete waste from Scrabster to Antwerp when a fire broke out in one of its two funnels, while the vessel was some 22 miles south-east of Wick.

The ship dropped anchor to prevent it from drifting without power after its engines were shut down due to the fire.

52 workers were airlifted from the Beatrice platform to RAF Lossiemouth  by helicopter as a precaution as the incident unfolded.

The Coastguard emergency tug Herakles – which had been at anchor in Kirkwall Bay – was tasked to the scene, and left in heavy seas, a result of the gales which have battered the east coast in recent days.

However, the vessel was stood down after another tug, the Pacific Champion which was also tasked to the location, attended the scene, and the vessel was towed into the Cromarty Firth, with the Coastguard tug returning to Kirkwall earlier today.

According to the Maritime Coastguard Agency, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch has launched an investigation into the incident.