The crew of a North Sea oil platform were put on stand-by to evacuate early yesterday, as a stricken French trawler drifted helplessly towards it.
As helicopters waited to airlift the 55-man crew of Heather Alpha to safety, the drama ended when the Fisher Bank managed to get a line aboard its sister vessel, the Halten Bank, and tow it to safety, with only half a mile to spare.
There were 18 crew on board the Halten Bank when she suffered problems 80 miles north- east of Lerwick.
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