NorthLink cancels Friday night sailings to and from Shetland

NorthLink’s sailings from Lerwick and Aberdeen on Friday night have both been cancelled due to a forecast of strong south-easterly gales.

The company announced that the southbound trip by the Hjaltland, due to leave Lerwick at 7pm, had been called off, along with the northbound trip by the Hrossey, scheduled to leave Aberdeen at 5.30pm.

A decision on whether the ferries will sail on Saturday is currently under review, NorthLink added, with a further report expected at 10am on Saturday.

Meanwhile the Lerwick lifeboat finally made it back to town at 2.50am on Friday morning, almost a day after being called out to go to the aid of a Danish fishing boat.

The lifeboat was called out at 6am on Thursday morning after the Teide reported engine trouble while 40 miles east of Unst. The lifeboat managed to get her under tow but heavy seas delayed the trip back to Lerwick.