CalMac Ferry Crew Conducts Nighttime Rescue Off Moroccan Coast
The crew of the new CalMac ferry MV Isle of Islay assisted in rescuing a man from the sea off the coast of Morocco during a dramatic nighttime operation.
The MV Isle of Islay is en route to Scotland after being constructed at a Turkish shipyard.
While departing from Gibraltar due to stormy weather, the ferry entered Moroccan waters where the crew observed a man in the water.
The crew promptly deployed the fast rescue craft, successfully recovering the individual and bringing him onboard.
The rescued man was cared for onboard the vessel for several days before being transferred to Moroccan authorities.
Louis de Wolff, CalMac's fleet management director, stated: "CalMac crews are well-trained in acting fast to take part in rescues at sea, often supporting the coastguard in Scottish waters.
"None of us expected MV Isle of Islay to be involved in a rescue so soon after being delivered, but it is testament to the professionalism of our crew that the individual was saved from dangerous sea and weather conditions in just a few minutes."
The ferry, the first of four being built in Turkey, is encountering challenging conditions on its journey to Scotland.
Over several days last week, wind speeds in the area consistently exceeded 30 knots, with gusts surpassing 50 knots.
The vessel took shelter off Morocco's east coast before docking at Almeria port over the weekend. It is scheduled to remain there until later this week, awaiting a favorable weather window to proceed to A Coruña in northern Spain.
Following that, the ship will cross the Bay of Biscay, known for its rough seas, to reach UK waters when conditions permit.
De Wolff added:
"We're bringing the vessel home in winter, when sea and weather conditions in the Mediterranean and North Atlantic, where we'll be headed next, are at their most treacherous.
This has been compounded by a series of storms hitting the Iberian peninsula over the last two weeks.
"The crew continue to do a first-class job in bringing her closer to Scotland and we will confirm arrival details nearer the time."
Upon arrival in Scotland, the vessel, which has the capacity to carry 450 passengers and 100 cars or 14 heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), will serve the routes to Islay and Jura.
