Scottish trawler hit rocks after exhausted skipper fell asleep, with no watch alarm fitted

PC: Marine Accident Investigation Branch On the evening of 16 November 2023, the prawn trawler Sustain ran aground on rocks at the entrance to Loch Broom, north-west Scotland, while returning to Ullapool. The vessel had left port in the early hours of that morning to begin day 4 of its fishing run. According to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch report, the skipper, who was alone in the wheelhouse, had fallen asleep, and no watch alarm was fitted on board. The grounding happened at 1946. All the crew were unharmed, but Sustain was later declared a constructive total loss and dismantled by specialist divers in early 2024.What happened to the prawn trawler Sustain near UllapoolThe crew of Sustain landed their catch at Ullapool at about 1900 on 15 November 2023 and then cooked dinner. The skipper stayed on board to repair a deck wash pump, while the two deckhands went home to rest before the next day's work. At about 0200 on 16 November, having taken longer than anticipated, the skipper completed the repair and recalled the deckhands. The report states that Sustain was underway about 30 minutes later, heading for the fishing grounds west of the Summer Isles to begin the fourth d...