Key facts
- The fishing vessel The Genesis ran aground on rocks off the west coast of Hoy, Orkney.
- A mayday call was issued at approximately 06:30 on October 1.
- All 17 people on board were rescued.
- Coastguard helicopters from Sumburgh and Stornoway, along with the RNLI lifeboat from Stromness, were involved in the rescue.
- The rescued crew members were airlifted to Kirkwall.
A significant rescue operation was conducted off the coast of Orkney on October 1 after the fishing vessel The Genesis ran aground on rocks near the Old Man of Hoy. The incident occurred around 06:30 when the boat struck the rocks and issued a mayday call.
Multiple agencies responded to the emergency, including the RNLI lifeboat from Stromness, coastguard helicopters from Sumburgh and Stornoway, and the Northlink passenger ferry Hamnavoe, which deployed its fast-rescue boat. Coastguard rescue teams from Kirkwall and St Margaret's Hope, as well as a Royal Air Force maritime patrol aircraft, also assisted.
All 17 individuals on board were successfully winched to safety by a Coastguard helicopter and transported to Kirkwall. The fishing boat remains aground, and authorities have dispatched an emergency towing vessel and counter-pollution teams to the scene. Police Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance Service were also present.