Fresh attempts will be made on Sunday to rescue the crew of six from a Scottish trawler which is floundering in rough seas in the North Atlantic.

The Audacious suffered engine failure as it lay 200 miles east of Rockall off the Outer Hebrides on Saturday.

Before the power went down the crew managed to make an SOS call for help on their radio which was picked up by a second fishing boat, the Grove.

Conditions in the area are said to be atrocious, with blizzards and storm force nine gales.

Mountainous seas

The Grove and another trawler got within reach of the Audacious but attempts to get a tow line on board the vessel were abandoned on Saturday night because of mountainous seas.

Martin Collins, from Clyde coastguard, said: "The engine room is still flooded but they have sealed it off and have stopped taking water on. Obviously it is difficult to get rid of the water without power for the pump."

He said: "The vessel is in darkness at the moment and we are waiting for daylight so we can put another towline on board."

Winds should drop

Mr Collins said they had spoken to the Meteorological Office who had told them the winds should drop from force nine to seven later on Sunday.

He said the plan was for a line to be thrown from one of the other trawlers.

The Audacious, which is registered at Buckie in Banffshire, could then be towed into port for repairs.

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