A Moray lifeboat crew were called into action to help a 160 year old Norwegian fishing vessel after it began taking on water last night.
Aberdeen Coastguard was alerted shortly before 10.30pm (Monday, July 20) after the ship began experiencing water ingress around 15 miles north, north-east of Buckie Harbour.
The Royal National Lifeboats Institution’s (RNLI) Buckie Lifeboat were asked to assist the boat – which had seven people on board – and escorted the vessel back to the harbour.
The aged Norweigan sloop, Anna af Sand, is one of Europe’s oldest ships typical of freight vessels sailing the fjords and along the Norweigan coast from the 18th century and into the last century.
The boat’s captain, Alan Rosand, said that his crew and he were sailing from Inverness to Stavanger when they started to take water on board due to, a 3-4ft crack in the craft.
The crew had to use pumps, however, one would not function, so they placed a distress call to the Coastguard.
The Buckie RNLI Lifeboat placed pumps on board the aged Scandinavian ship and escorted it to Buckie Harbour, arriving at 12:40am.
The ship began life as a transport and lodgings vessel during the herring fishing period.
After almost 50 years service she was put on shore in 1896. The hull was worn out and had to be reconstructed, and the rigging had to be replaced.
A spokesperson for Aberdeen Coastgaurd said: “There were no injuries or anything on board.
“A fairly routine call-out.”