Fishermen rescued after boat runs aground on banks of Loch Linnhe

A group of fishermen have been rescued after their boat ran aground and was stranded on the banks of a loch in the Highlands.

The volunteer crew of the Oban lifeboat were paged at 7.30am on Friday, November 1, after the coastguard rescue centre received a report from a fishing boat that it had suffered steering issues.

Once on scene, the lifeboat crew were able to confirm that the vessel was hard aground on a falling tide in Loch Linnhe.

With all its crew accounted for and no injuries, the lifeboat left the scene but made arrangements to return in the afternoon when the tide was rising, to assist with re-floating the vessel.

The lifeboat returned at 3pm and, as the fishing boat had taken some water into its fish hold, two members of the lifeboat crew were transferred across, taking a portable salvage pump with them.

A bow tow line was rigged to stop the fishing boat from being pushed further up the shore as the water was pumped out and it came upright on the rising tide.

Once afloat, the lifeboat towed the boat into deeper water where its propulsion, steering and watertight integrity were all checked.

The fishing vessel was then able to make its own way to Corpach to be taken out of the water and checked over for damage, and Oban lifeboat returned to its station.