A skipper who died after his Fraserburgh trawler sank in the North Sea was last night named locally as James Noble.
Tributes were paid to the 45-year-old, who moved to the Newcastle area from the Broch two years ago.
One friend described him as a “fine lad”, while a community leader said it took “a special person” to endure the dangers which Mr Noble had faced as a fisherman.
A massive search and rescue operation was launched after coastguards picked up a mayday from the Ocean Way’s emergency beacon on Sunday.
Three of the vessel’s five crew members – including Mr Noble – were winched onboard an RAF Sea King helicopter and flown to hospital in Ashington in Northumberland.
Rescuers administered CPR but were unable to save the skipper’s life.
The two surviving crewmen, who were pulled from the water covered in diesel, are aged 38 and 28 and were released from Wansbeck Hospital yesterday after being treated for hypothermia.
Both are understood to be Filipino.
The search for the two remaining Filipino trawlermen, aged 38 and 32, was called off on Sunday evening and did not resume yesterday.
Mr Noble’s family declined to comment last night.
However, Fraserburgh councillor Brian Topping paid tribute to the late skipper, his crew and all fishermen who risk their lives on a daily basis.
He said: “People think of fishing as a well-paid job, a glamorous job that gets you fast cars.
“But to be a fisherman you have to be a special type of person, to go out into that weather and put food on our plates.
“We talk about rough storms on shore, but it’s nothing compared to the conditions at sea. People are putting their lives on the line.”
Councillor Topping, a commissioner of the Fraserburgh Harbour Board, said Mr Noble’s death would be felt throughout the community.
“It’s a big tragedy for Fraserburgh,” he said.
“It’s a big town but a small, close-knit community.
“My heart goes out to all his friends and family.”
It is understood the Ocean Way, which was co-owned by Mr Noble and Fraserburgh man Billy Edwards, sailed from North Shields on Saturday.
Yesterday the fishermen of the harbour’s fleet held a minute’s silence to honour their dead.
Scottish Fishermen’s Federation chief executive Bertie Armstrong joined the tributes to the crew.
He said: “We are greatly saddened by this tragic news and our heartfelt thoughts and sympathies are with the family and friends of the crew at this very difficult time.
“This terrible accident highlights the very real dangers our fishermen face on a constant basis and is a sober reminder of the important role fishing plays in putting food on our plates.”
Banff and Buchan MP Eilidh Whiteford, vice-chairwoman of the All Party Parliamentary Fisheries Group, echoed those thoughts.
She said: “I am shocked to learn of the loss of the Fraserburgh fishing vessel, Ocean Way.
“Such a loss will be felt by all those in Fraserburgh and coastal communities with fishing industries. My thoughts at this time are with the families and friends of the crew involved.
“Our gratitude must also go to coastguard and RAF teams involved in the search and rescue operation.”
Fraserburgh councillor Ian Tait said: “It’s a tragedy. The reason why it sank is still to be uncovered and hopefully the survivors will be able to point investigators to the cause of why the vessel foundered.
“The most important thing is to say how much we sympathise with the families of those who were lost.”
Humber Coastguard said the vessel was last heard from when it was about 100 miles east of the Farne Islands of the Northumblerand coast.
A Norwegian rescue helicopter was called in to help search for survivors, and to allow the RAF helicopter to return to land.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch is investigating how the Ocean Way – a 52ft twin-rig trawler which fished for white fish and prawns – got into difficulties.