Faulty fan affects new Stornoway to Ullapool ferry

The MV Loch Seaforth made its first passenger sailing last month

A new ferry built for the Stornoway to Ullapool route was temporarily withdrawn from passenger duties because of a faulty ventilation fan.

The £42m MV Loch Seaforth made its first passenger sailing last month but is still in a "test period" and not fully in service.

Thursday's fault took five hours to fix and the ferry was cleared again for sailings.

Another ferry, the Isle of Lewis, took the passengers involved.

Bad weather has led the cancellations of Friday sailings on the Stornoway-Ullapool route and other services on Scotland's west coast.

Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne said withdrawing the Loch Seaforth had been an operational decision and the fault would not have prevented the ship from sailing.

A spokesman said: "Yesterday evening an issue arose with an engine room ventilation fan which required attention and an operational decision was taken to remove her from the route while it was fixed.

"While passengers were delayed, and we regret any inconvenience to them, no-one was stranded."

A spokesman added: "This was not a major issue but it required around five hours of work as the fan was in a difficult to reach location."