The white fish trawler Prospect BF 573 sank in Lerwick Harbour last night after running aground.
The vessel was leaving Lerwick by the port’s north entrance when she grounded outside the navigation channel at about 6.40 p.m.
Lerwick Lifeboat was tasked to the scene together with the Coastguard helicopter and also Lerwick Port Authority’s vessel Knab.
Pumps were placed onboard and on the rising tide, the vessel refloated herself. The four crew were taken off the vessel by Lerwick Lifeboat.
Lerwick Lifeboat took the Prospect under tow but it was apparent the vessel was sinking with the pumps unable to cope with the ingress of water. The vessel was towed out of the channel in an attempt to get into shallower water. The vessel sank immediately north of Skibby Baas at about 9.15 p.m. in around 15 metres depth of water.
Both the counter-pollution and salvage team at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the vessel’s insurer are involved with the incident.
[mappress] Lewick-Harbour, August 5, 2013