Coastguards to retrieve boat’s GPS as hunt for missing fisherman is scaled down

Attempts will be made tomorrow to retrieve the GPS system onboard the stricken vessel Breadwinner as efforts to find missing fisherman Neil Smith continue.

Coastguard officials hope the satellite tracking system will tell them the path the boat took on her fateful voyage last week.

The 10-metre vessel was discovered partially sunk at Grif Skerry off Whalsay on Friday morning. There has been no sign of Mr Smith since he took off single-handedly in the vessel on Thursday.

Renewed efforts were made to find him over the weekend, with the coastguard and jig-saw helicopters, fishing boats and volunteer search teams all involved.

Today the hunt was scaled down, although fishing boats Guiding Light and Hope III remained in the area.

Meanwhile the Sumburgh-based rescue helicopter was on a training flight, incorporating a coastal search as part of the exercise.

A coastguard spokeswoman said: “We’re hoping to get the GPS off tomorrow, and see if we can dry it out and get the data we need.”