The moment an Ayrshire fishing crew saved fellow fishermen in horrific conditions has been captured in dramatic footage.
The Spes Bona crew from Troon hauled a stricken trawler which had broken down off the coast of Arran on Monday.
The failed boat, with three crew members of board, was towed nine miles through ferocious conditions as stormy weather battered the Firth of Clyde.
A video showing the hair-raising rescue has gone viral, chalking up more than 4,000 views in just a matter of days, with viewers left stunned by the footage.
But Spes Bona captain Donald Gibson says the scenes are a regular occurrence out in the open seas.
Donald told Ayrshire Live: “It’s like an unwritten law of the sea that you help your fellow fishermen when they are in danger.
“The other boat's name is the Kayleigh M, we know them well, they are based out of Troon.
“They were fishing over at Brodick when their engine started to fail.
“Luckily they were able to get their nets back on board before it completely failed.
“It happens all the time, you get mechanical issues.
“The forecast was really bad and we were fishing just a few miles off them so we thought it was time to get them in.”
The clip shows the smaller trawler being rocked by waves in what looks like a bumpy ride.
Donald added: “The weather was okay to start with but it started to get more extreme as we approached Troon.
“It would have been an uncomfortable journey for the crew on the boat, with no engine power there is no thrust, but they were fine. They were well prepared.”
Donald, who has been fishing more than 30 years, has experienced his fair share of rescue missions.
In 2013, the crew lept to the aid of a huge Scottish Government rescue boat the MRV Alba na Mara off the coast of the Mull of Kintrye.
The Spes Bona crew raced out to tow the huge 11.5 tonne ship to safety.
Donald said: “That was the hairiest situation we’ve seen, the seas were 20ft and the boat was more than double the size of us.”
Spes Bona are riding high after they featured in unique Hairy Bikers programme which showcased their incredible produce.
The BBC Two series The Hairy Bikers Go Local aired last week – raising the profile of the family-run Troon fishing crew.
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