Container Ships Runs Aground

An operation is under way to free a container ship with nine people on board which has run aground.

The alarm was raised at around 2am today when Lysblink Seaways became stuck off Ardnamurchan Point on the west coast, Stornoway Coastguard said.

The ship, thought to be carrying paper, did not refloat at high tide.

Tugs are expected to be used to try to free it and Tobermory lifeboat is standing by at the scene.

No one has been injured.

The 423ft-long vessel was bound from Belfast to Skogn in Norway when it ran aground.

The crew were remaining on board waiting for tugs to arrive at the scene.

There has been no report of pollution.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has tasked emergency towing vessel Heracles to sail to the scene from the Orkney area, while the vessel's owners have appointed a salvage company and a commercial tug.