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Scotland & NI 105/01
9 February 2001
FIVE RESCUED FROM SINKING VESSEL
| Aberdeen
Coastguard received
an urgent mayday at 4.20 a.m. on 9 February 2001 from the crew
onboard 'Polaris', a 22 metre long, Banff registered fishing
vessel, which had started taking on water in her engine room
and required assistance.
Coastguard rescue helicopter
'Oscar Charlie' was immediately scrambled and headed directly
to the scene, some 60 miles south east of Sumburgh in Shetland
where emergency pumps were placed onboard 'Polaris'. |
Oscar Charlie
|
Meanwhile,
Aberdeen Coastguard made a relay call to other vessels in the
area, with result. 'Stirling Aquarius' and 'Stirling Esk', two
offshore oil support vessels responded to the relay and 'Stirling
Aquarius', which was only 3 miles away, headed directly to the
scene where she stood by 'Polaris'.
‘Oscar Charlie' arrived on scene, as three of the five-man
crew were being transferred from the 'Polaris' to 'Stirling
Aquarius', the remaining two crew stayed onboard to operate
the pumps and 'Oscar Charlie' was redeployed.
Jim Dickson, Watch Manager at Aberdeen Coastguard said,
"We will see how this situation develops, the weather is
in our favour with excellent viability and light southerly
winds.
Added:
All five crew from the Banff-registered Polaris were safely
transferred to the 'Stirling Aquarius' before the boat went
down 60 miles south east of Sumburgh.
The two men who stayed aboard were taken off after
emergency pumps lowered to the vessel from a helicopter failed
to stem incoming water.
The
Department of Transport's Marine Accident Investigation Branch
will launch an inquiry into the incident today.
Skipper's story: by Linda Summerhayes and
Jamie Buchan of the Press & Journal
For
skipper John Bremner
the 'Polaris' was the first vessel he had commanded. He said
"We really fought hard to save the boat, but in the end
we had no choice but to abandon her. Once we were off, it was
only about 20 minutes before she disappeared under the
water."
The crew had noticed water flooding into the
engine-room just after 4am.
Mr Bremner, 22, said: "The whole crew had
been up on deck mending a fishing net. There was a lot of
water coming in below deck, although we have no idea where it
was coming from or how it started."
Mr Bremner said: "Three of the crew were
taken on the Aquarius.
Myself and
my mate, Graham Willox, stayed on to try and pump away the
water.
All the lights had gone out. It was proving very
difficult, because there was debris floating around which was
choking the pumps.
"I went down to the engine-room to try to
release the blockage, but that wasn't working.
"Then we noticed the water was frying the
electrics, and we were scared that we could be electrocuted in
the water.
"By this point, the helicopter had left
because it was low on fuel.
We knew that there was no choice but to leave the
boat."
The pair made it on to the Stirling Aquarius just
minutes before the Polaris sank.
Mr. Bremner added: "The main thing is that
everyone was unharmed."
The three other crewmen were Gavin Buchan, David
Mutch and Scott Morris. |
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