Forty foot yacht rolls in gale during Shetland Round Britain and Ireland Race 21/6/06

The Dutch 40ft yacht Vijaya is the latest victim of the storms battering the Western Isles of Scotland.

According to Michael Currie an RNLI advisor based at Barra Lifeboat Station, the boat, positioned west of the north end of the Isle of Barra, was overwhelmed by the excessive winds which reached well over 45kts at times.

Fortunately the crew – Huib Swets and Erik De Jong – and the yacht are fine and are currently being escorted in by the Severn Class Lifeboat.