MAIB finds corrosion led to fishing boat sinking off Skye

The Vellee sank in the Minch off Neist Point on the Isle of Skye

The owners of a north east-based trawler, which sank off Skye, have been told to improve planned maintenance and inspection regimes on all of their vessels.

The Vellee went down in August last year.

The crew abandoned the boat and were rescued by a coastguard helicopter.

A Marine Accident Investigation Branch report said corrosion of sea piping, or associated fittings, led to a "catastrophic failure" on the vessel.

The MAIB also found bilge alarms on the Vellee, which was travelling from Fraserburgh to Kilkeel in Northern Ireland when it went down, failed to go off.

The report said the alarms had not been tested or maintained for 14 months and emergency pumping systems were not maintained, tested or kept in a state of readiness.