Boat trippers call out lifeboat twice

Vessel hits sandbank then runs out of fuel after help with repairs

A small boat was the subject of a double call-out involving lifeboat crews from Arbroath and Broughty Ferry on a calamitous weekend trip along the Angus coast.

The vessel was helped by Arbroath RNLI volunteers after hitting engine trouble on Saturday morning – but just a few hours later then ran out of fuel as it limped to Dundee, leading to a second lifeboat shout involving the Ferry crew.

Arbroath personnel had been involved in a joint emergency services training exercise with local Scottish Fire and Rescue Service crews around 11am when a member of the public alerted them to the 17-foot power boat that had suffered engine trouble just outside the harbour.

The D-class inshore lifeboat Robert Fergusson took the vessel under tow to the safety of the harbour, with the allweather Inchape standing by.

RNLI and fire crews then resumed the training exercise which involved extraction techniques for casualties from confined spaces within a vessel.

Following repairs, the three-person crew of the small craft then motored towards Dundee, but encountered further trouble after running aground on a sandbank at Gaa Sands off Carnoustie.

The crew managed to refloat the boat without assistance, but the disastrous journey took yet another unfortunate twist when they found themselves out of fuel while passing Broughty Ferry beach.

That led to Broughty Ferry RNLI volunteers answering a response call shortly before 3pm and the crews of the all-weather Elizabeth of Glamis, along with the smaller inshore lifeboat made their way to the stricken vessel.

All three crew members were found to be safe but the boat required to be towed into Broughty Ferry harbour using both lifeboats.

Both Broughty boats returned to station by 5pm.

Lifeboat personnel on the stricken craft outside Arbroath harbour after it suffered engine trouble.