Scarborough fishing boat in trouble escorted to Lerwick

A Scarborough-registered fishing boat was involved in a mayday incident early today after getting into difficulties while fishing south-west of Fitful Head.

The Floreat (SH 60) alerted the coastguard at 7.15am to report that a line had become fast to the seabed, one of her doors was open and she was listing and taking in water. Her pumps were struggling to cope with the situation.

The Lerwick lifeboat was called out and the Sumburgh coastuard helicopter proceeded to the location with extra pumps onboard.

The helicopter stood by until the lifeboat arrived but by that time the situation had improved and the Floreat was able to make her own way to Lerwick with the lifeboat escorting her in. Both vessels arrived at Lerwick at around 1pm.

While the helicopter was on that mission another call was received by the coastguard, just after 8am, to report that a crewman was injured on the Murchison oil platform, around 120 miles north-east of Shetland.

The helicopter headed back to Sumburgh to refuel before tackling the second incident. Then it headed to the platform, picked up the man and landed him at Clickimin in Lerwick about 12.30pm.