A Highland politician has backed calls to reinstate an emergency tug in the Western Isles after a fire on board a boat carrying nuclear waste through north waters.
The MV Parida lost power and was left drifting in the North Sea 20 miles off Wick during the incident on October 7. The Beatrice oil platform off the Caithness coast was also evacuated as a precaution.
Labour MSP David Stewart has highlighted the vulnerability of north and west coast communities, seafarers and offshore workers as key reasons for restoring a second tug.
The Western Isles Emergency Towing Vessel (ETV) was removed several years ago when the UK government dropped funding.
During last month’s incident, the Kirkwall ETV was called out but the Parida’s Danish owners agreed a commercial tow with another vessel, the Pacific Champion.
The crippled boat, which was carrying six drums of waste encased in cement to Belgium, was taken to Saltburn Pier in Invergordon for repairs.
The incident sparked renewed calls for an ETV to be restored to west coast waters as the Nuclear Decommissioning Agency has plans to ship Dounreay waste to Sellafield in Cumbria via The Minch.
Last week Highland councillors unanimously agreed to lobby the government to reinstate the tug and make a commitment to fund the Kirkwall tug beyond 2016.
Mr Stewart said: “Three years ago I made my concerns known about the removal of one of the two emergency tugs which covered north and west coast waters. I supported the Scottish ETV Working Group and the Highlands and Islands Conveners’ Group in calling for the reinstatement of the second emergency tug which was withdrawn as part of a cost cutting measure by the Westminster government.
“The solitary ETV for the north and west would take an estimated eight hours to reach the north Minch and 12 hours to reach Barra Head from its Orkney base.
“This latest incident has also shown that not only are north and west coast communities and seafarers being left in an extremely vulnerable position but off-shore workers are vulnerable too.
“Westminster’s Transport Committee questioned how one ETV, stationed in Orkney, could adequately cover the west coast. The coalition government must therefore listen to the ongoing concerns of communities throughout the Highlands and Islands and reinstate the second tug as a matter of some urgency.”