FISHING VESSEL SINKS OFF LEWIS

Stornoway Coastguard report that four fisherman are recovering in hospital after their boat sank off the island of Lewis. All four men were taken to Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway where they are being treated for shock and hypothermia.

The crew of another fishing boat, ‘Ripple’, which was heading to shore, spotted the men in the water outside Stornoway Harbour.

Three fishermen were pulled from the water by crew members on the ‘Ripple’ and another man was rescued by other fishermen in the area on the vessel ‘Wave Crest’.

A spokesman for Stornoway Coastguard said the men were fortunate they were spotted soon after their boat, ‘Our Nicholas’, sank.

He said all four fishermen had been rescued shortly before the coastguard helicopter and lifeboat arrived at the scene.

Water temperature was about 12C, as the men waited 20 minutes before they were spotted.

The water was very, very cold and no one would have been aware of the difficulty the crew were in because they had no time to broadcast for help."