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Captain Thanks Rescuers After 17 Crew Winched From Grounded Fishing Vessel Off Orkney
The Spanish-owned, UK-flagged longliner Genesis ran aground near the Old Man of Hoy with 28 tonnes of fish aboard. All 17 crew were airlifted to safety without injury, and the captain has thanked the multi-agency team that responded to the mayday call.
By Charlotte Redford · 4 min read
The captain of a fishing vessel that ran aground off Orkney has thanked the rescuers who airlifted all 17 people on board to safety, saying he feared the boat might capsize after it struck rocks.
Captain Alejandro Abuin Prado said he was «very grateful» to the emergency services for the way they helped him and his 16-strong crew off the Genesis, a 30-metre longliner that had been heading to Scrabster with 28 tonnes of fish on board when it ran aground off the west coast of Hoy early this morning.
A multi-agency rescue operation was launched just after 6.30am following a mayday call from the Spanish-owned, UK-flagged vessel. The operation involved the RNLI lifeboat from Stromness, HM Coastguard helicopters from Sumburgh and Stornoway, and land-based Coastguard rescue teams from Kirkwall and St Margaret's Hope. Two other local vessels also responded, along with a Royal Air Force maritime patrol aircraft.
There were no injuries. After being landed at Kirkwall Airport, the crew were taken to a hotel in the town. Captain Prado, who has been with the Genesis for two years, told The Orcadian he believed a miscommunication on board had caused the grounding. Asked what would happen to the vessel, he said: «I don't know,» but hoped she could be made safe and moved from the rocks.
The coastguard vessel Ievoli Black is currently at the scene. The Genesis has been a controversial presence in Shetland waters over recent years. Although she is UK-registered, she is Spanish-owned and crewed. The vessel was reported for an attack on the Shetland trawler Mizpah in June 2021 when she crossed the bow and came within three metres. At the time, Mizpah's skipper highlighted how foreign vessels were ganging up on the local fleet to close off vast areas of the seas for their own use.
The grounding near the Old Man of Hoy, a landmark sea stack on the island's west coast, prompted a rapid response from emergency services. The RNLI Stromness lifeboat stood by as Coastguard helicopters winched the crew to safety. The rescue was completed without injury, and the crew were later conveyed to a hotel in Kirkwall.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has been approached for further comment on the incident and the condition of the vessel. The Genesis remains aground, and it is not yet clear when or how she might be refloated. The coastguard vessel Ievoli Black is monitoring the situation.
The incident highlights the risks faced by fishing crews operating in Scottish waters, particularly around the Orkney islands, where strong currents and rocky coastlines can quickly turn a routine passage into an emergency. The multi-agency response involved coordination between the RNLI, HM Coastguard, the RAF and local vessels, all of whom played a role in ensuring the safe evacuation of the crew.
Captain Prado's gratitude was echoed by the rescue teams, who praised the crew's cooperation during the evacuation. The cause of the grounding remains under investigation, with a miscommunication on board cited by the captain as a possible factor. The vessel's future will depend on assessments of her structural integrity and the weather conditions in the coming days.
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