Tag Archives: Fishing Vessel ‘Louisa’
Sole survivor of fishing boat tragedy reveals how he swam to shore in only a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a faulty life jacket
He was the sole survivor of a fishing boat tragedy that claimed the lives of his three crew-mates. Now Lachlann Armstrong has revealed for the first time how he cheated death when the Louisa sank off the coast of the Hebrides in April last year. His electrifying testimony describes how, wearing nothing but a pair of tracksuit trousers and a faulty life jacket, he swam for his life, battling in complete darkness through water just a few degrees above freezing, toward a shore he could not even see.,,, He spoke of the terrifying moment the crew awoke to the boat sinking and the panic when they realised the emergency vessel (raft) wouldn’t inflate. click here to read the story 11:34
Marine Accident Investigation Branch: Louisa has been raised and is being transported to Glasgow
INVESTIGATORS probing the sinking of a fishing boat off the Western Isles have issued images of the stricken vessel being lifted from the seabed. Three crew members were lost when the Louisa sank while at anchor near the island of Mingulay, south of Barra, early on April 9. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch is carrying out an investigation into the tragedy along with Police Scotland. As part of the probe, the Louisa has been raised and is being transported to Glasgow for further examination. “Our investigation aims to establish why Louisa sank and why lives were lost. A full and detailed report will be published at the end of our investigation. Read the rest here 12:40
Western Isles flotilla searches for missing Louisa skipper
A flotilla of boats is taking part in a search for the skipper of the Louisa, which sank of Mingulay. Paul Alliston, who is also known locally as Paul MacMillan, was last seen swimming for land after the fishing boat went down on Saturday. One member of the crew, Lachlann Armstrong, was rescued but his colleagues Chris Morrison and Martin Johnstone died. A large number of people have volunteered to take part in the search. The operation is being co-ordinated by the police, coastguard and RNLI. Read the story here 10:40
MFV Louisa Fisherman Lachlann Armstrong’s battle for survival: “I didn’t know if I’d make it”
A fisherman who swam through icy waters and clung onto rocks after his boat sank off the Outer Hebrides has spoken of his dramatic battle for survival and the “heartbreaking” moment he realised his friends were lost. Lachlann Armstrong admitted last night he did not know if he would make it to shore after he abandoned the MFV Louisa’s life raft when it failed to inflate. The 27-year-old father said he decided to try to reach the shore to free up space on the semi-submerged raft and help save his colleagues. Yesterday, he opened his heart about the tragedy that has rocked the Western Isles. Read the rest here 08:35
Scotland Western Isles – Investigation following the worst local fishing tragedy in 50 years
A major investigation is underway after a crab boat sank off the Western Isles in what has been described as the worst local fishing tragedy for half a century. Two men died and another remains missing after the Stornoway-registered sank off the east coast of Mingulay in the early hours of Saturday. It is believed the four fishermen were asleep in their bunks at anchor, about 12 miles south of Barra, unaware that the vessel was taking on water. The crew abandoned ship onto a life raft – but there were claims last night that it had failed to properly inflate. Read the rest here 08:28
Fishermen in Western Isles fishing vessel “Louisa” tragedy tried to swim to shore
Two of the men stranded in the sea after a fishing vessel sank off Mingulay in the Western Isles in the early hours of Saturday morning left their life raft to swim for shore. Finlay Macleod of the Fishermen’s Mission said all four reported missing had made it to their life raft. But two of them tried to swim for the shore, which was in sight. One of the four was found safe, while another is still missing. Two of the four men on the raft were later found to have died, whilst another is still missing. Read the article here 08:17
Two bodies recovered, one missing, one airlifted, after fishing vessel sinks off the Western Isles of Scotland
Two bodies have been found after a fishing boat sank off the Western Isles of Scotland. One fisherman remains missing, while another was airlifted to hospital. The coastguard received a distress alert just before 3.45am on Saturday, and the vessel’s emergency positioning beacon was activated near Mingulay. Read the rest here The fishing vessel which sank off Mingulay this morning has been named locally as the ‘Louisa’, a 16-metre vivier crabber owned by Duncan and Murdo Kennedy, from Marvig, South Lochs. One crew member has been rescued and taken to hospital, but three remain missing. Read the rest here 12:36
