Lifeboat called from Boat Week to tow vessel to safety

A boat which got in to difficulty off Noss was assisted by the Lerwick lifeboat – which arrived on the scene straight from participating in Shetland Boat Week.

The lifeboat had left Hay’s Dock and was in Dales Voe doing an engine test when the Shetland Coastguard radioed to ask them to attend the pleasure boat Christine May. The boat, which had five people on board, had fouled its propeller on a creel rope close to Noss Head.

Arriving on the scene at around 4.30pm the lifeboat towed the Christine May back to Victoria Pier, arriving at around 6.15pm.

Second coxswain Garry Bremner said: “We normally need at least six crew for a shout, but although we only had five on board when the Coastguard called, taking into account the conditions and the size of the casualty vessel, I decided to go straight there rather than back to Lerwick to pick up more crew.

“The five of us managed fine, and doing that saved a lot of time.”