Tobermory lifeboat in shout to bring pumps to grounded scallop dredger

The scallop dredger Freedom ran aground on a submerged reef east of Mull last night (3rd July). The fishing boat, Trustful, picked up the skipper and two of the Freedom’s crew from the liferafts they launched  around an hour after striking.

Clyde Coastguard were informed of the incident at 21.00 last night and told that the boat was not holed but was taking in water. A local Coastguard was the first to the scene and acted as a reporting base. Trustful remained on station as a communications relay between the Coastguard and the Freedom.

Clyde Coastguard brought in the Tobermory lifeboat – which at first was worried about the condition of the three crew since one of them was said initially to have been in the water trying to sort out the grounding. The lifeboat ferried pumps to the damaged 10 metre boat.

Freedom is now in Loch Scridain on the Ross of Mull where efforts are being made to pump it out. The hope is that it can be refloated at high tide if enough water can be pumped out of her first.