Shipping minister sees Shetland and Stornoway CGs in action

[Nick]

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Shipping minister Mike Penning witnessed first hand an operation to rescue the crew of a grounded fishing boat while on a visit to the threatened Shetland Coastguard station on Thursday. The minister was in Lerwick to defend the government’s consultation proposals to axe either Stornoway or Shetland centres and downgrade the other.

A Mayday distress radio alert was received as Mr Penning toured the Lerwick base. In a joint operation, Shetland and Stornoway Coastguards co-ordinated the swift airlift of the fishermen off the Buckie registered MFV Reliant which hit a reef at Sula Skerry some 63 miles north east of the Butt of Lewis. The whitefish boat transmitted a Mayday call at 11.23am Thursday morning and both Stornoway and Shetland coastguard helicopters were scrambled. The Stornoway rescue aircraft arrived first on the scene and the Shetland helicopter was stood down.

[Quarffie]

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Shipping minister Mike Penning witnessed first hand an operation to rescue the crew of a grounded fishing boat while on a visit to the threatened Shetland Coastguard station on Thursday. The minister was in Lerwick to defend the government’s consultation proposals to axe either Stornoway or Shetland centres and downgrade the other.

A Mayday distress radio alert was received as Mr Penning toured the Lerwick base. In a joint operation, Shetland and Stornoway Coastguards co-ordinated the swift airlift of the fishermen off the Buckie registered MFV Reliant which hit a reef at Sula Skerry some 63 miles north east of the Butt of Lewis. The whitefish boat transmitted a Mayday call at 11.23am Thursday morning and both Stornoway and Shetland coastguard helicopters were scrambled. The Stornoway rescue aircraft arrived first on the scene and the Shetland helicopter was stood down.

I took this MAYDAY on 16 at Shetland CG. We could hear the Reliant OK but they could not hear us all the time, luckily the fisheries patrol aircraft was in the area and were able to relay comms. Rescue 102 (helicopter) were training and tasked first, along with Stromness lifeboat. About 15 mins later ARCC Kinloss called us with info that Rescue 100 from Stornoway was now available, and would be a few minutes quicker than 102 - that is why the helicopters were retasked/switched.
100 arrived on scene, lifted the 3 crew off the FV and took them to Kirkwall. Stromness lifeboat continued to Sule Skerry and assessed the FV but could do nothing with it: the wreck is still there.
Mike Penning came into the ops room about half way through the incident and was basically relegated to standing in a corner looking on - we didn't have time or the will to talk to him - SAR comes first.
However, in the 2 minutes or so of our attention he did get, he said that the proposal that started the consultation off is not what he expects to come out of it - he's looking for something very different.
Hearing this from him first hand gives me hope.