Constant Star

265274

Constant Star

PD172

The Peterhead pair trawler Constant Star ran aground on Skerry Rock, one mile south of the entrance to Peterhead Bay. The trawler and her partner were returning to port because the weather had deteriorated. The wind had reached force 8/9 and the sea was very heavy.
The Peterhead coastguard scrambled a helicopter from Lossiemouth and the lifeboat was also launched. Ships in the vicinity were alerted and asked to stand by.
It was assumed that the crew had abandoned the boat when neither men nor life rafts could be seen and a search was set up by boats returning to the port. The lifeboat coxswain decided to take another look at the boat after an empty life raft was spotted one mile to the south. Movement was noticed on board and the helicopter was diverted to the scene. The eight fishermen were winched up in pairs and taken to Peterhead hospital.
The coxswain of the lifeboat, John McLean was later praised for doing "far more than was required of him".
The crewmen on board the trawler on this trip were Francis Wood, James Bowie, Robert McDougall, David McDougall, John McGrath, David Keyes, David Hood and Michael Moore.