SPARKLING LINE

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Disabled trawler towed to Scrabster

The "Sparkling Line", 119 gt, went adrift after it experienced an engine breakdown, in position 58 40 03N, 04 50 00W, on Apr 23, 2018, at 10.18 a.m. A lifeboat and a Coastguard team were tasked to assist the vessel into a harbour. The f/v "Horizon" proceeded and established a tow. The "Sparkling Line" was towed into Scrabster Harbour at 6.30 p.m.

RNLI boat towed disabled trawler through bumpy seas

The RNLI lifeboat "Roger and Joy Freeman" launched just after midday, on Nov 9, 2017, from Scrabster Harbour with the crew strapped into their seats from the very start, for what was to be a rough bumpy passage west along the north coast. After battling against a westerly gale and heavy seas for 1 hour 45 minutes the lifeboat came alongside the stricken "Sparkling Line" which was disabled and drifting in heavy seas. Although there was no immediate danger to the vessel, it had been drifting slowly towards the shore whilst the lifeboat was en route and was 2.5 miles north of Eilan nan Ron when the lifeboat arrived on scene just before 2 p.m. Weather conditions and the sea state were not good throughout the day, with gale force 8 westerly winds and a large swell, which at times saw the crew facing waves of up to 8-10 metres, as well as heavy squalls of hail, sleet and rain. These weather conditions made for a long and difficult seven hour tow back to Scrabster Harbour. During the return to harbour the tow parted on five occasions, both during daylight and darkness. After being at sea for 9 hours and 30 minutes the lifeboat took the casualty alongside at Scrabster Harbour, the crew then refuelled the lifeboat and made her ready for service again by 10.10 p.m. Report with video: https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2017/november/09/thurso-rnli-endure-over-nine-hours-in-rough-seas-to-aid-disabled-fishing-vessel The coxswain for the above service was Dougie Munro who recently received his 40 years service medal from the RNLI. Dougie is a younger brother of Wing Munro who retired a fortnight ago after almost 48 years service at Thurso RNLI. Between them the two brothers have clocked up nearly a century of service to Thurso Lifeboat.

Disabled vessel towed to Newlyn

On May 13, 2013, the "Sparkling Line" was towed back in to Newlyn harbour in the evening after breaking down off the west Cornwall coast. The vessel had called for assistance at around 3.30 p.m. A crew from Sennen Lifeboat was sent to rescue the stricken boat, north west of Land’s End. It was taken in tow back in to Newlyn harbour.