Thurso lifeboat prevents stricken vessel grounding at Sandside beach

Thurso lifeboat 'The Taylors' escorts the 'Tiger' into Scrabster harbour.

A VESSEL poised to run aground at Sandside beach was rescued by Thurso lifeboat.

The Taylors went to the aid of the motor vessel Tiger which had dropped anchor in Sandside Bay, having fouled its propeller.

Leaving Scrabster harbour at 11am on Saturday, May 14, the RNLI crew members faced rough seas as they made their way west towards Sandside Bay. Having battled the two-to-three-metre swell in force-six winds, the lifeboat was on scene by 11.30am to find Melvich coastguard already in attendance and the MV Tiger almost aground on Sandside beach.

The stricken vessel had dropped its anchor much further offshore in Sandside Bay, but it had been unable to hold against the winds which were pushing the boat towards the shore, even though the sea conditions were much calmer in the shelter of the bay.

Once alongside the Tiger, a member of the lifeboat’s volunteer crew quickly transferred a tow rope which enabled it to pull the Tigersafely from the shallow waters and tow it to Scrabster.

The lifeboat then helped the Tiger into the harbour at 2pm.