Rescue ship Björg called out on the highest priority
Just after 5 am last night, the Coast Guard control center called out the crew of the rescue ship Björg on Rif on the highest priority due to a fishing boat with two people on board that had lost its rudder and was drifting close to land.
A statement from the Landsbjörg Rescue team states that the fishing boat was located just off Svörtuloft and drifting north along the coast, only about half a nautical mile from land.
A quarter of an hour after the crew was called out, at 5:20 am, Björg was launched from the harbor and headed for the scene. The rescue ship arrived at the fishing boat just over 20 minutes later and operations began immediately to put a tow line between the vessels.
It went well and shortly before 6 am this morning, a line had been established between them. It was just after 7:24 that the rescue ship arrived at the port of Rif with the fishing boat in tow.
Just before 7 am this morning the rescue ship Björg brought the boat to the harbor in Rif. Photo/Landsbjörg
Helicopter called off
A statement from the Coast Guard states that the Coast Guard control center received a distress call for a fishing boat that was about half a nautical mile off Svörtuloft on Snæfellsnes at around 5:00 this morning.
There were two people on board the boat and they told the control center's watch officers that the boat was out of control and drifting north with the tidal current. The Coast Guard helicopter was immediately called out along with the sea rescue teams of the Landsbjörg Rescue team on Snæfellsnes.
"The crew of the rescue ship Björg from Rif was the first to arrive at the scene and at 5:45 the fishing boat was in tow by the rescue ship's crew. The Coast Guard helicopter was then withdrawn and the rescue ship took the fishing boat to Rif. The Coast Guard has reported the incident to the Icelandic Transport Accident Investigation Board,” the announcement further states.