Kirkwall's first shout of the year is a 17-hour challenge in rough seas
Kirkwall lifeboat was called out on Thursday 2 March to assist a Fraserburgh registered fishing boat Sunrise with six persons on board.
The lifeboat departed station at 8.00am with Coxswain Fraser Retson and six more volunteer crew aboard. The lifeboat headed out into a strong westerly wind but made good speed on route to the vessel Sunrise which was about 40 miles to the east of Orkney. Sunrise had a fouled propeller and was unable to make power. No other vessels were in the area.
Kirkwall lifeboat Margaret Foster (17/13) arrived on scene at the casualty at 9.55am and the tow line was connected. The tow was commenced at 10.10am and a long slow tow back to safety in port was commenced. Winds were from the west at 30 to 35 knots with gusts over 40 knots which resulted in a difficult and uncomfortable head punch all the way back.
Longhope lifeboat arrived on scene at 3.40pm to assist and escorted 17/13 until she was closer to the shelter of land.
At 8.40pm when some shelter was given by land the tow was shortened in and at 8.55pm Longhope lifeboat was released to return to her station.
At 0.50am on Friday 3 March the casualty Sunrise was secured alongside the north face of Kirkwall pier and 17/13 returned to station where she was refuelled, ready for service again at 1.05am.
After 17 hours on service the crew went home for a well earned rest.
This is the first call out for Kirkwall RNLI Lifeboat this year.
For further information please contact –
Graeme Smith
Lifeboat Press Officer
Tel. 01856 871207
Mob. 0783 007 1968
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The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
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