Man rescued from fishing boat

A fisherman’s boat sank in waters between Sumburgh and Fair Isle – just as he was being airlifted from his liferaft by the coastguard helicopter.

The man, who did not need medical attention, was the sole occupant of the 32-foot Hope III, which began taking on water as she sailed 11 miles south-south west of Sumburgh.

The Lerwick lifeboat had already been dispatched after an oil industry helicopter became involved in a full emergency at Sumburgh Airport.

In that incident, the aircraft landed safely with no harm or injury coming to any of the 15 people on board.

However, the lifeboat was subsequently dispatched to attend to the incident involving Hope III, which happened shortly before 3pm.

Two yachts, Auno and Cherokee, responded to a May-Day which was relayed, as did the Northern Lighthouse Board vessel, Pole Star.

The yachts arrived on the scene at the same time as the helicopter. The crewman on the sinking vessel requested that he be taken off by the helicopter.