Trawler tragedy rescue

Man swims to shore, but search goes on for missing crew member

A FISHERMAN survived after swimming to shore when a trawler sank off the Western Isles, it has emerged.

The crewman was found clinging to rocks at Mingulay by a lifeboat rescue team hours after the Louisa sank on Saturday.

The man, so far the only confirmed survivor, was airlifted to hospital and is understood to have escaped serious injury.

A search is continuing for one of the four crew members who remains missing, while the bodies of the other two men have been recovered.

Finlay Macleod, superintendent at the Fisherman’s Mission in Stornoway, said yesterday that all four men had made it to a life raft after the crabber sank but two of the crewmen – including the man rescued from the rocks – had swam for the shore.

His colleague drowned, and it is unclear what happened to the two men who stayed behind. It is understood they had been clinging to the raft, which was filling up with water. One of the men was later pulled dead from the North Sea

The whereabouts of the fourth crewman are unknown, but the life raft is said to have been empty when rescuers discovered it.

Mr Macleod said: “They were all being supported by the life raft as the vessel sank, but the water was too cold and two crew members reached the conclusion that if they had stayed with the life raft, as they are taught to do, then hypothermia would have set in.

“They saw the shore and they thought they could try for it. Sadly, only one reached it. Everybody’s traumatised. It’s an absolute tragedy.

“On behalf of the mission I have been in touch with all the families concerned in Lewis and Harris. My colleague in Scrabster has been in contact with the family of the crewman in Thurso who did not survive. We’re reaching out to them.”

The Coastguard received a distress alert from the Louisa before 3.45am on Saturday.

Following the discovery of the two bodies, an air and sea search for the remaining missing man was scaled back and the Barra Lifeboat stood down shortly before 6.30pm. The search continued yesterday.

The Clyde Fisherman’s Association (CFA) paid tribute to the “brave men who lost their lives”.

Mark Rodaway, the UK Coastguard’s national maritime operations commander said: “Despite an intensive search including the helicopters, lifeboat and other fishing vessels in the area, we have been unable to locate the missing fisherman. Our thoughts are with all those involved.”

Chief Inspector Alastair Garrow said: “At this time we can confirm that the bodies of two men have been recovered. A third man was rescued and was taken to hospital at Stornoway. He is not seriously injured.

“A fourth man was on the boat and is still missing. The next of kin of all the men have been informed.

“This has been a tragic incident which will impact on the local community.”

Police Scotland and the Marine Accident and Investigation Branch will carry out a joint investigation into the incident and a repor t will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.

‘‘ They saw the shore and they thought they could try for it. Sadly, only one reached it. Everybody’s traumatised