RNLI crews respond after 40 metre vessel runs aground

Lifeboat crews sped to the waters off the Isle of Skye on Tuesday evening after a 40-metre boat ran aground in the Kylerhea and Glenelg area.

 

Both the Kyle and Portree RNLI lifeboats were launched at around 6.40pm after the UK Coastguard requested them to attend the scene where a 500-tonne vessel had ran aground.

 

Kyle lifeboat, Spirit of Fred. Olsen was launched at 6.45pm and arrived on scene 10 minutes later.

 

The lifeboat crew made contact with the casualty vessel and ensured that no one was injured.

 

"attachment_1016323" "" "300"] Kyle lifeboat approaching casualty vessel. Photograph: RNLI/Andrew MacDonald.

 

However, due to the rapidly receding tide the stricken boat was firmly stuck aground.

 

Portree lifeboat arrived on scene at around 7.55pm, and with numerous other vessels in the area also offering assistance, it was decided to take the casualty vessel's crew off the stricken boat.

 

Shortly after 9pm the crew were retrieved and transferred to a nearby vessel to wait for the tide to come back in.

 

"attachment_1016344" "" "300"] The view from the Kyle lifeboat as it comes alongside the casualty vessel. Photograph: RNLI/Andrew MacDonald.

 

At the time of writing the boat remains stranded, but the crew plan to try and refloat the aground vessel on Wednesday.

 

The lifeboats were then stood down and Kyle returned to station where the lifeboat was cleaned, refuelled and made ready for service by 9.45pm.

 

Andrew MacDonald, spokesman for Kyle RNLI Lifeboat, says: ‘The vessel ran aground around the time of high tide. Therefore, by the time ourselves and other assistance arrived on scene, there was no way we could get the boat refloated.

 

"The decision was made to take the crew off the vessel overnight for their own safety, and at the next high tide in the morning, there will be attempts made to refloat the boat."

 

"attachment_1016347" "" "224"] Kyle lifeboat coming alongside the casualty vessel. Photograph: RNLI/Andrew MacDonald.