Overboard

At 9.15 this morning Shetland Coastguard received an emergency call from the Hamnavoe ferry which undertakes a regular route from Scrabster to Orkney, and which alerted the marine emergency service to a woman in her 40s who had gone overboard.

The ferry crew advised the Coastguard that their rescue boat was being lowered into the water and that they would attempt to recover the casualty. The woman was in the water for about 10 minutes before being recovered.

Shortly afterwards the crew reported that there were two doctors on board and in attendance on the casualty who was breathing but was not fully conscious, and that the ferry was now heading towards Stromness and due in to the port at 10.40 a.m. this morning. She was being given oxygen on board the ferry. Shetland Coastguard have arranged for an ambulance to meet the ferry upon its arrival. Stromness Coastguard Rescue Team will also meet the ferry to gain further details of the incident.

Katrina Hampson, Watch manager at Shetland Coastguard said;

Fortunately for the woman, the sea temperatures at this time of year around Orkney are around 17 degrees Celcius, whereas any earlier in the year cold shock can reduce the chances of survival quite dramatically.