Being a fisherman is certainly the country’s most dangerous job.
A prawn trawler which had broken down and was drifting towards rocks at the mouth of Strangford Lough was plucked to safetyxa0byxa0Newcastle lifeboat in a four-hour operation on Sunday night.
The Supreme, a 54-feet xa0fishing vessel, was en route from Ardglass to the Firth of Clyde in Scotland to fish when its engine failed. The crew dropped the boat’s anchor, but with a moderate sea and a steady Force 4 wind blowing from the South, the trawler began to drift steadily towards rocks in the dark.
An RNLI spokesperson said: “Newcastle RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat, the Eleanor and Bryant Girling helmed by coxswain Mark Poland, was despatched to the scene close to the entrance to Strangford Lough shortly after midnight on Sunday.
“Thexa0inshorexa0lifeboat from nearby Portaferry station was alsoxa0sent to the trawler’s aidxa0andxa0a line was attached to thexa0driftingxa0vessel to keep it off thexa0the rocks until Newcastle’s more powerfulxa0all-weather boatxa0arrived.”
The Eleanor and Bryant Girling arrived at the scene at around 2am and thexa0volunteer crew attached a new line toxa0the fishing vessel. The trawler was then towed safely back to Ardglass, arriving at 3.30am. The Portaferryxa0boat also accompanied the stricken vessel andxa0assisted in getting her safely into the harbour. xa0There were no reported injuries during the rescue.
Both lifeboats then returned to their respective stations, Newcastle ALB arriving backxa0at its basexa0at 4.30am.
Boat owner Tom Wills said: “It looks as though the Gardiner engine may have seized up. It will now have to go on the slip in Kilkeel for a check over and probably an overhaul. Thankfully the crew are all safe.”
