Press Notice No: 1
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FISHING VESSEL WITH EIGHTEEN ON BOARD MAKES ITS WAY TO IRELAND WHILST PUMPS STEM THE INGRESS OF WATER
A fishing vessel which began taking water 230 miles west of Ireland is currently on its way to Killybegs under its own steam after requesting assistance from Clyde Coastguard in the early hours of this morning.
The 36 metre red hulled vessel, ''Crystal'' which has eighteen people on board broadcast a pan pan message at 4.00 am this morning. The vessel is UK registered and has a Scottish skipper and a Spanish and Portuguese crew. The vessel''s pumps were managing well with the ingress of water, but it required assistance in case the situation worsened and the pumps were unable to cope.
Clyde Coastguard requested an RAF Nimrod to provide top cover and the RAF rescue helicopter 122 from Valley is taking extra pumps to the vessel and will be available to evacuate the crew if needed. In addition the merchant vessel ''Hero'' and the fishing vessel ''Alvor'' volunteered their assistance and offered to intercept Crystal and escort her into Killybegs.
Bill Spiers, Deputy District Controller for Clyde Coastguard said:
"The pumps onboard Crystal are still coping well and all crew are fine. The vessel is now 220 nautical miles from the nearest land and still under its own steam."
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