Crew rescued after pilot boat catches fire in the Tay Published duration 5 June 2014

image copyright RNLI image caption The Taybird was guiding the Swedish tanker Pandion out to sea when it caught fire

Two men were rescued from a pilot boat after it caught fire while guiding a tanker up the Tay.

A fire broke out in the engine of the Taybird as it was passing Carnoustie on its way to the North Sea with the 118m Swedish tanker ship Pandion at about 04:50.

Lifeboat crews from Broughty Ferry rescued the crew of the pilot boat and towed it back to shore, where three fire engines were waiting.

No-one was injured in the incident.

Both the Broughty Ferry lifeboats were scrambled to the scene after the crew of the Taybird, one of two pilot boats at Dundee's port, raised the alarm.

The Pandion, an asphalt and bitumen tanker, paused in its voyage and was put on standby while the rescue was carried out.

The fire was out by the time the offshore lifeboat Elizabeth of Glamis reached the scene, although smoke was still billowing from the vessel.

The crew were transferred to the lifeboat and an RNLI crewman climbed aboard the Taybird while it was towed back to shore.

A spokesman for the Port of Dundee said the pilot boat would undergo a full inspection before being put back into service.