A CARGO vessel with six crew on board has been grounded overnight on the Annat sandbank at the entrance to Montrose harbour.

The 83-metre long MV Emsland, loaded with a full cargo of 2000 tonnes of round timber, rode out the stormy night.

A powerful anchor- handling boat has been commissioned from Aberdeen to pull her off on this morning’s high tide around 10.30.

The drama began just before 4pm yesterday as the Emsland prepared to leave the estuary for Scandinavia.

Minutes after the local pilot had disembarked and she was under the charge of her own skipper, the vessel drifted on to the sandbank. The port authority and the coastguard were alerted and because it was just one hour after low water it was decided to let her sit-it-out until high water around 9pm.

The Montrose lifeboat Moonbeam went out to her about 7.45pm and began the task of getting lines on board to pull her off on the rising tide. The harbour’s two pilot boats stood by to offer additional control.

With the weather deteriorating and the scene lit up by flares, lifeboat coxswain Derek Smart and his crew began the difficult task of getting a tow line on board as the Emsland was gradually wedged more and more securely into the sand. Three hours later she was still aground.

“The lines kept breaking under the strain but just before high tide we got one on board,” said Mr Smart last night.

“Such was the enormous strain that it too broke, damaging the stauncheon on our deck and ripping off the rails round our stern.”

Last night Forth Coastguard, who co-ordinated the attempted rescue, said that the crew was safe and there was not believed to be any pollution threat.

A coastguard spokesman said, “However, we have alerted the counter pollution authorities and with the weather expected to worsen to storm force 10 during the night the rescue helicopter has also been placed on standby.”