Captain Alejandro Abuin Prado feared his 30-metre longliner would capsize after it struck rocks near the Old Man of Hoy at approximately 06:30. Every one of the 17 crew members on board was successfully winched to safety by a Coastguard helicopter and transported to Kirkwall, with no injuries reported.
The grounding of the vessel, which was carrying 28 tonnes of fish while en route to Scrabster, triggered an immediate response involving RNLI lifeboats, coastguard helicopters from Sumburgh and Stornoway, and a Royal Air Force maritime patrol aircraft. The Northlink passenger ferry Hamnavoe also diverted to assist in the operation, deploying its fast-rescue boat as the situation unfolded near the island's west coast.
According to Captain Prado, who has served on the Genesis for two years, a miscommunication on board caused the vessel to strike the rocks. While the crew remains safe, the Spanish-owned, UK-flagged vessel currently sits abandoned on the rocks. The coastguard vessel Ievoli Black is now on-site to monitor the situation, as the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and counter-pollution teams assess the environmental impact and future recovery options for the boat.
This incident adds to a complex history for the vessel, which was previously reported for a 2021 incident involving a Shetland trawler. For now, the focus remains on the vessel's status on the rocks, as authorities work to ensure the site is made safe following the successful rescue of all personnel.