The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Man arrested after ‘stabbing’ on fishing boat
Incident: Police tape off pier as inquiry begins
A MAN was taken to hospital following a suspected stabbing aboard a fishing boat in a north harbour yesterday.
The drama unfolded in Scrabster just after midnight when emergency services were called to the scene.
A 45-year-old was taken to Caithness General Hospital, where he was treated for serious but not life threatening injuries. Another 45-yearold man was arrested in connection with the incident.
Most of the crew of the Spanishowned longliner Brisca, which is registered in Ullapool, are Indonesian and needed interpreters.
The pier was cordoned off while police investigations were carried out.
Local fishermen’s mission superintendent Colin Mackay was contacted by the boat’s agents to help look after the other members of the 15-strong crew. He said: “We were happy to do what we could.”
A pier at a Highland harbour was cordoned off yesterday after a crewman was injured in a suspected stabbing aboard a fishing boat in the early hours.
Police were called to Scrabster just after midnight following reports of a disturbance on the Spanish-owned Brisca.
A 45-year-old man suffered serious but nonlife-threatening injuries and he was taken to Caithness General Hospital for treatment.
A police spokesman said: “A 45-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident and police inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.
“Initial inquiries suggest this is a contained incident and there was no wider risk to the general public.”
The Ullapool registered longliner had a 15-strong crew, which largely comprised Indonesian nationals.
Police had to organise to bring interpreters to the Caithness port before they could carry out interviews.
The 88ft vessel, which regularly lands in Scrabster and Ullapool, tied up in Scrabster on Monday night.
It fishes for cod, haddock and other line-caught fish.
Emergency services were scrambled after a report of a disturbance aboard the boat.
Thurso-based paramedics gave first aid to the
“They spoke next to no English, so communication was a problem”
injured crewman before coastguards helped them stretcher him to an ambulance at the quayside which took him to Caithness General Hospital in Wick.
The Ola pier was cordoned off as detectives carried out a forensic investigation of the scene.
The rest of the crew were taken ashore and looked after by the local branch of the Royal National Mission for Deep Sea Fishermen.
The former mission hall was specially opened to house and feed them.
Mission superintendent Colin Mackay was contacted by the boat’s agents to help look after the other crew members.
Speaking after arranging for them to be fed in the former mission hall at the port, he said: “We were happy to do what we could for the members of the crew we hosted.
“They spoke next to no English, so communication was a problem.
“I understood most of them were Muslim so we had to ensure the food we got for them was acceptable to them.
“We brought them lunch from the local hotel.
“They picked from the menu and we brought it to them.
“An agent for the boat was on hand to ensure that if they weren’t able to return to the vessel later on alternative accommodation could be organised.”