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Two trawler crewmen were winched to safety by Royal Navy Sea King helicopter on Monday when their boat got into difficulties off Pladda, near Kildonan.
The Arran lifeboat The Boys’ Brigade turned out to help in the dramatic rescue, along with the Campbeltown lifeboat when the fishing boat Quantas began taking in water after the crew found a leak in the hull.
The drama occurred on Monday in heavy seas. The third man aboard the Kirkcaldy-registered boat, the skipper, remained on board Quantas to help with pumping out water.
Arran RNLI operations manager Geoff Norris said they received a callout just before 11am and a crew was quickly mustered at Lamlash lifeboat station.
The problem was initially thought to have been caused by a burst manifold pipe on the engine but turned out to be a much more serious leak in the hull.
Geoff said: ‘Our boys came alongside and put a pump on board the trawler to help pump out the water. Then the Campbeltown lifeboat turned up with a bigger pump.’
The Campbeltown lifeboat took the stricken vessel in tow with a lifeboat crew member on board and returned to Campbeltown arriving back at 2.25pm.
The Quantas had just sailed round the north of Scotland from the east coast.
The three Arran men involved in the rescue were helmsman Crawford Duncan, prospective helm David Watson and prospective crewman Mark West.
Geoff Norris said: ‘It was Mark’s first major shout and would have been very good experience for him.’
