What Crew Members Say About Migdale

On November 13, 2018, the fish carrier 'Migdale' experienced a significant engine failure while navigating the challenging waters of the Sound of Mull, located at position 56 41 18 N 006 13 48 W. At the time of the incident, the vessel was en route to Kinlochbervie and had a crew of four on board. The unladen ship anchored approximately 8 cables from the shoreline. The Stornoway Coastguard promptly dispatched the Tobermory RNLI lifeboat to provide assistance, and at 10:13 p.m., the volunteer crew was summoned to stand by the vessel, which was located near the iconic Ardnamurchan lighthouse. The Tobermory lifeboat, the ALB 'Elizabeth Fairlie Ramsey', was launched at 10:20 p.m., braving southerly winds gusting up to 45 knots (over 50 mph) and turbulent seas ranging from 3 to 4 meters. The dedicated RNLI crew remained on standby for hours until the tug 'Annie E' arrived at the scene at 1:25 a.m. After assessing the situation, towing operations began at 2:05 a.m. By 2 a.m., the 'Migdale' was safely under tow and was directed toward Mallaig for necessary repairs. The lifeboat crew completed their mission and returned to Tobermory, readying their vessel for further service by 3:20 a.m. The 'Migdale' successfully docked at Mallaig on November 14 at 8 a.m. This operation showcased the exemplary teamwork and commitment of the Tobermory RNLI volunteers in adverse weather conditions. For more details, including photos and videos, visit the RNLI's official report: https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2018/november/14/tobermory-rnli-in-five-hour-shout-in-rough-weather-to-40-metre-fish-carrier.

On August 18, 2018, the fishing vessel "Migdale," sailing from Lerwick with a crew of four and a cargo load of live fish, encountered a malfunction with its fuel pump. At approximately 9:30 a.m., the ship was reported drifting at 1.5 knots while positioned at 60°45′41.4″N and 000°12′21.0″W. In response to the situation, the emergency tug "Ievoli Black" was dispatched at 10 a.m. to assist in towing the disabled vessel back to Lerwick. At the time, the "Migdale" carried about 20,000 liters of marine diesel oil as bunkers and was facing challenging conditions, with southwest winds at 6-7 Beaufort and swells reaching three meters. Fortunately, by 10:45 a.m., the tug was stood down after the crew successfully addressed the pump malfunction by 11:20 a.m. Following thorough safety checks, the "Migdale" was able to resume its journey, making way at a speed of 8.7 knots towards Hoganes.

On February 24, 2018, the trawler 'Migdale' experienced a mechanical failure while en route to Stromness, suffering damage to its control rod linked to the variable pitch propeller. The incident occurred at 5 a.m. near position 60°15'02.4"N, 001°59'13.2"W, roughly six nautical miles north-northeast of Foula in Shetland. At the time, the vessel was carrying a crew of four along with significant bunkers, including 22,500 litres of diesel oil, 1,300 litres of lube oil, and 760 metric tonnes of hydraulic oil. The RNLI all-weather lifeboat 'Alb' was dispatched to assist the stricken vessel, while the emergency tug 'Ievoli Black' from Portree, Isle of Skye, was also en route. The 'Migdale' was towed through challenging conditions with waves reaching 4-5 meters, finally arriving at a safe anchorage in Aith Voe at 1:24 p.m. Following the incident, the vessel’s owners arranged a commercial tow through their insurance company for necessary repairs, with 'Migdale' reaching Oban on April 13 and departing again on April 14 bound for Oldany. For more details and photos, visit: https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2018/february/25/rnli-charles-lidbury-called-out-to-go-to-the-aid-of-fish-carrier.