Tug returns to Orkney after towing stricken ship to Shetland
(Picture: Ian Leask)
The Orkney based Coastguard emergency tug returned to Orkney waters over the weekend after being called out to tow in a cargo ship with engine problems from an area between Shetland and Faroe.
The tug Herakles was alerted last Thursday morning to the situation on board the ship, which was in a position some 90 miles north-west of Foula.
Shetland Coastguard, who co-ordinated the incident, explained that the 130m cargo ship, Industrial Kennedy, with 13 crew onboard, was carrying a cargo of steel pipes to Norway from Gibraltar when it blew a turbo-charger, sparking the incident.
While there was no immediate danger, the tug was initially tasked to the area as a precaution due to the oil installations in the wider area should the vessel drift.
The tug then took the vessel under tow, and at first headed towards Scrabster. However plans later changed, and the vessel was towed instead into Lerwick, arriving at 6pm on Saturday evening.
The tug then headed back to Kirkwall.