COMHAIRLE nan Eilean Siar leader councillor Roddie Mackay has called on the UK government to re-instate the West Coast-based tug after another incident last Thursday night.
An emergency tug had to make a 12-hour voyage from Orkney to help a cargo ship that lost power off the island of Taransay in the Western Isles. The Fame, with five people on board, reported the loss at about 5.30pm. Two lifeboats and the Stornoway Coastguard helicopter were called out to help the stricken vessel which was carrying salmon feed.
The coastguard agency’s emergency towing vessel (ETV), based in Orkney, eventually arrived at the scene.