Shetland fishing boat towed off the rocks
A local fishing trawler is now safely back in harbour, after briefly running aground near Trondra in the early hours of this morning.
The Sedulous - LK 308 - had five crew on board when it went ashore around the north end of the island, just after 3.30am on Saturday 21 March.
The 26 metre whitefish trawler was leaving Scalloway Harbour to head for fishing grounds to the west of the islands.
Seven volunteers from the Aith Lifeboat Station responded to the emergency call, and reached the site of the incident before 5.20am - onboard the RNLI Charles Lidbury.
Another local trawler, the Radiant Star - LK 71 - was already in the area and had offered its assistance, along with Scalloway Harbour pilot boat Lyrie. After waiting for the tide to rise, the Radiant Star crew were successful in establishing a tow line with Sedulous, and managed to pull the boat back to deeper water before any serious damage was done.
The Sedulous was then able to return to port in Scalloway under her own steam, escorted by the RNLI Charles Lidbury.
Aith Lifeboat coxswain, John Robertson, said: 'Life-threatening incidents can happen at sea at any time. So it's important that you call for help when something goes wrong.
'I'd like to thank the crew of the 'Radiant Star' for their safe and essential assistance this morning. Their quick, competent response was an important part of getting Sedulous and her crew back to safety.
Local RNLI crews are always ready to respond, and I'm pleased that we once again assembled so many volunteers so quickly. This was our first call out since the recent outbreak of the Coronavirus in Shetland, at a time when many folk are 'self isolating' or 'social distancing'. Helping slow the spread of this virus ensures that our volunteers remain healthy, and are able to keep helping save lives at sea."
The Aith Lifeboat had returned to its station by 8.00am.
Notes to editors
Aith lifeboat station has been operating for over 80 years, and is the most northerly in the UK. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/aith-lifeboat-station
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RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789
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