Cornucopia freed after running aground off Sandwick

A scallop boat with a fouled propeller ran aground briefly off Sandwick around lunchtime today, before being refloated and towed into the pier at Broonie’s Taing.

The coastguard took a call from Cornucopia skipper Ronnie Young at around 12.20pm to say that his gear was fouled and he was drifting towards the shore.

The boat eventually brought up a few metres from the rocks at the mouth of Lang Geo, south of the Broonie’s Taing base. Quite a strong west-southwesterly wind was said to be blowing onshore at the time.

The Sumburgh-based search and rescue helicopter and the Lerwick lifeboat were both called out, and two ambulance were also sent to Sandwick in case of emergency.

The helicopter was quickly on the scene and after making a couple of low passes decided to wait until the lifeboat got there.

However, the creel boat Osprey, skippered by Jim Black, arrived first. The Osprey managed to tow the Cornucopia to deeper water and relative safety.

The manoevre was described as “a neat piece of seamanship” by Maurice Smith, who watched the indident unfold.

The lifeboat was next on the scene and and took the Cornucopia alongside at Broonie’s Taing.