This is the dramatic moment an Ayrshire lifeboat crew battled through giant waves and 90mph winds to race to the aid of a stricken ship.
The team at Girvan RNLI were among those called to the 750ft drill ship which broke away from its anchor amid high winds just miles away from Hunterston nuclear power station.
Coastguard crews raced to the scene around 7.20pm last night after they were alerted to the ongoing emergency.
The Valaris DS4 broke away from the dock without power and started drifting towards Cumbrae in the storm.
Coastguard crews from Girvan, Largs, Ardrossan, Ayr, Gourock and Cumbrae were all sent to the scene as part of a large-scale emergency response.
A search and rescue helicopter from Prestwick was also sent to help in the operation.
A Coastguard spokesperson confirmed eight crew were on board at the time the ship started to drift.
The Valaris DS4 was built in 2010 and is used at the Ayrshire for deep water drilling operations.
A spokesperson from EDF Energy, which runs the Hunterston nuclear site, says: "The station is aware and monitoring the situation but operations haven't been affected."
A spokesperson for harbour authority Clydeport Operations Limited confirmed that one of two drill ships berthed at Hunterston Pier parted from its berth during extremely high winds.
The vessel, which remains anchored, has not moved further overnight and no towage support has been required.
The spokesperson said: “Our team was monitoring the situation due to the high winds, which were gusting to over 90mph, and immediately dispatched three tugs, a Clyde Estuary Pilot and a response team to manage the situation, alongside the Maritime & Coastguard Agency.
“The vessel remains at anchor with a tug nearby and the other vessel remains secured at its berth. Wind speeds are forecast to drop considerably during the day and we are working closely with the Maritime & Coastguard Agency and the ship’s owners to make it secure.”
