STV ALBA VENTURER

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Challenging tow off Iona

The "Alba Venturer" with 11 young scholars and five crew on board has been rescued in heavy seas off Iona by a Scots lifeboat and the Dutch warship "Friesland" on Apr 26, 2012. The sail training yacht at 9.51 a.m. was left drifting without power after it became snagged in lobster creel ropes. The fishing vessel "Pioneer" and the "Friesland" responded to a broadcast of the yacht and stood by the vessel until the Tobermory lifeboat arrived. The Tobermory lifeboat managed to cut the vessel free and tow it to the Isle of Kerrera, near Oban. The tow took place in challenging conditions with a two-metres-swell. No-one on board was injured. The RNLI crew were aided by the Royal Netherlands Navy warship "Friesland" which was in the area at the time taking part in a NATO exercise. When the lifeboat returned to Tobermory after the operation, the crew had spent more than 10 hours at sea and travelled just under 100 miles. Reports with photos and video: http://www.rnli.org.uk/who_we_are/press_centre/news_releases/news_release_detail?articleid=765296 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-17867678