Fire and rescue crews called to help sinking vessel at Arbroath Marina

A fire crew was called to Arbroath on Sunday when a 25ft boat began to sink.

The owner of the four-ton September Morn raised the alarm after his vessel started taking on water in the early hours of the morning at Arbroath Marina.

Local firefighters were first called to the scene at around 3.30am and then returned at around 10.30am to begin pumping water from the hull.

Watch manager Stephen Caird said: ”We received a call to say that a small cruiser was taking on water and was in danger of sinking. As a gesture of goodwill we attended to see if we could help keep it afloat until the leak was fixed.”

Water had completely flooded the stern of the boat and appeared to be entering the vessel as quickly as it could be pumped out.

A small crowd gathered on the side of the marina to watch the drama unfold into the afternoon, with the owner and two firefighters on board bailing out water.

By 2pm the Tayside Fire and Rescue contact centre had received a message to say pumping had ceased and the crew had left the site.