A floating museum had to be towed to safety off the west Highlands yesterday after breaking down in thick fog.
Nybakk Venner, a converted fishing boat, suffered engine failure in Loch Linnhe shortly after 7am.
The 83ft former Norwegian dogfish trawler had started to drift in light winds after the crew failed to restart its engines and the captain called Stornoway Coastguard.
Oban lifeboat was alerted and launched at 7.31am. She arrived at the scene north of the Corran Narrows – a stretch of water nine miles south of Fort William – in thick fog at 8.50am.
The lifeboat towed Nybakk Venner to Fort William, where she was berthed safely at the pier by 9.55am.
A Coastguard spokeswoman said: “The visibility was poor and the vessel had broken down, but it was in no danger whatsoever. They just needed a tow to Fort William.”
On board were 15 sailors from Maaloy, near Bergen, in Norway, and Orkney-based photographer Frank Bradford.
Mr Bradford, who captured images of the lifeboat rescuing the vessel, said: “It was absolutely a pea-souper. You couldn’t see from one side of the boat to the other.
“We knew we were mid-channel and there wasn’t enough wind to force us on to shore.
“We assessed what we could do for ourselves and elected to call the Coastguard.
“It was uncanny – when the lifeboat put the line on the boat, the mist just disappeared.”
Oban lifeboat coxswain John Hill said: “Once we reached Corran, the fog became quite thick. However, using the lifeboat’s radar we were easily able to locate the vessel.”
The boat had sailed overnight from the Isle of Man and was carrying exhibition material.
She was heading to Dingwall for a public seminar and display but will be delayed at Fort William until the engine is repaired.
Mr Bradford said the boat had previously visited Stornoway and Dunvegan and was still to visit Dingwall, Kirkwall and Lerwick before heading back to Norway celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Norwegian constitution.”