A missing buoy has been blamed for a fishing boat running onto rocks at a Western Isles harbour last night.
The Nordic Way grounded while approaching the harbour at Northbay on Barra.
A Stornoway Coastguard said the skipper had misjudged the approach to the harbour because of a missing starboard buoy.
It is understood that the marker was torn free during recent bad weather.
The 50ft boat was towed clear this morning at high tide with help from Barra lifeboat and entered the harbour under its own power.
It is not thought to have suffered any serious damage.
A spokesman for Stornoway Coastguard said: “The buoy on the starboard side is missing and it appears that they misjudged their approach and ended up aground on rocks.
“The lifeboat attended and the area flooded up enough around 6am for them to be towed off, with help from the lifeboat.”
Missing buoy to blame as fishing boat grounds on Barra
