News / Crew safe as fishing boat sinks in port

A BANFF registered fishing vessel sunk in Lerwick harbour on Monday evening after she hit a rock at full speed just outside the main navigation channel at the port’s north entrance.

All four crew were taken off the Prospect (BF573) after it became clear that the vessel could not be saved.

Shetland Coastguard was alerted at 6.45pm and the Lerwick lifeboat, the Lerwick harbour pilot boat Knab, the Lerwick coastguard volunteers and the Sumburgh-based search and rescue helicopter were all tasked.

Th

e dive boat Valkyrie also assisted and provided a pump.

The Prospect floated free of the rock on the rising tide and was towed out of the navigation channel by Lerwick lifeboat.

However, the six pumps on board the vessel were unable to cope with the intake of water and the Prospect sank near Robbie Ramsay’s Baa shortly afterwards.