A man has died and seven others rescued after a trawler capsized in seas around Norway.
The Peterhead-based 78ft Njord got into difficulty in the North Sea, about 100 nautical miles west of Stavanger.
It is understood that three crew members were picked up by rescue helicopter and transferred to Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen.
One of the crew was pronounced dead.
Another five crew were picked up and taken to safety.
The Foreign Office is supporting the family of the dead man.
UK Coastguard received ‘distress alert’
The Njord is a white-fish trawler, and was previously registered in Shetland, using the names Guardian Angell and then Courageous.
It is now registered to Scarborough, but it understood it primarily works out of Peterhead.
Trackers show it left the north-east port at about noon on Saturday.
A distress call was made at about 1.50pm on Sunday, with Norwegian rescuers sent to the scene – where they found the eight crew on the keel of the upturned trawler.
A spokeswoman for HM Coastguard said: “Three of the crew were taken to hospital by helicopter, the other five crew members were taken on board an offshore support vessel and taken to Stavanger.”
The other five people were picked up by the Olympic Challenger, an oil industry offshore vessel, which had responded to the Mayday relay issued by rescue services calling on vessels nearby to assist.
A Norwegian Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre spokesman said: “When we were alerted we sent out resources and found eight people standing on the keel of the capsized fishing vessel.”
Foreign Office support
A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are supporting the family of a British man following his death in Norway.
“We are also supporting a British man who is hospitalised in Bergen. We remain in contact with the Norwegian authorities.”
North-east fishing boss Jimmy Buchan was among those to express his sympathy to the families involved.
Mr Buchan, who is the chief executive of the Scottish Seafood Association, said: “It’s so sad to hear of this tragedy.
“My personal thoughts go to those who have lost a family member. No words can console the loss of a loved one, especially in such tragic circumstances.
“With a lifetime at sea, I can relate to risks fishermen face as they go about their daily life to catch fish.”
