The 90 foot long, 180 tonne fishing vessel Chieftain ran aground just inside Whitby harbour. The Chieftain had become disabled after it lost control of its rudder when it ran aground off the east pier. The Whitby Coastguard and the former RNLI lifeboat came to the fishing vessel’s aid. The lifeboat was able to refloat the Chieftain and towed it to its berth. No reports of injuries, damage or pollution released.
On March 10, the fishing vessel Ocean Spirit became disabled in heavy seas off the coast of Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. The Ocean Spirit found itself stranded after it had engine problems. The fishing vessel begun to take on water and the three crew on board sent out a distress call. The RNLI lifeboat from Stornoway was launched along with the Coastguard helicopter. The CalMac ferry Isle of Lewis also came to the Ocean Spirit’s aid while en route to Ullapool from Stornoway. The RNLI lifeboat arrived on scene and pulled the trawler free. The fishing vessel was pumped free of water and both vesels proceeded back to port.b No reports of injuries, damage or pollution released.