FOUR MEMBERS of a fishing trawler crew are safe tonight after their vessel caught fire off Tory Island this afternoon.
The trawler was helped by the crew of the Arranmore lifeboat and the Coastguard helicopter from Sligo.
A fire in the engine room of the boat, the Handa Isle based at Magheroarty, was extinguished and all four crew were able to travel back to Burtonport tonight – under tow from the lifeboat.
Cllr David Alcorn said: “Thank God everyone is safe.”
Nora Flanagan, from the Arranmore Lifeboat, said: “Thank God everyone is safe and accounted for.
“The trawler fishes out of Bunbeg and got into difficulties 4.5 miles west of Tory. The lifeboat crew was able to establish that the fire could be contained and between them and the Sligo rescue helicopter, the fire was put out.
“The fishing trawler was towed back to Burtonport with the crew still aboard and arrived at 7.30pm. We had a fire crew on strandby on shore just to check over the boat.
“Everyone is delighted that this emergency call has had a happy ending.”
*Pictures by kind permission of Eoin McGarvey Photography.
Ends
