John Griffiths: "All of the men ended up in the water"

Coastguards received a distress signal from the Hansa at about 2310GMT on Monday.

Aircraft and boats were sent to the scene and nine crew members were airlifted to safety in 15ft seas.

However, fears were growing for the safety of the missing men after their colleagues said that, while they may have been wearing survival suits, some had not donned life jackets.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the trawler, which had sailed from the Spanish port of La Coruna, sank 180 miles west of Benbecula in the Atlantic.

John Griffiths, district controller at Clyde coastguard, said: "I believe that all of the crew went into the water and nine managed to swim and board one of the life rafts.

"The life rafts that are left have now been found to be empty but we will continue to search for the time being for those in the water.

"The nine survivors are safely ashore at Benbecula and are suffering from mild hypothermia and nothing else, thankfully."

Flight Lieutenant Scottie Burge, at RAF Kinloss, said: "The weather is very poor at the moment.

Initial operation

"There is a very strong south easterly wind, a very poor sea state and poor visibility, which is hampering the search."

The initial rescue operation involved a Canadian Aurora aircraft which was on exercise in the area at the time.

A Nimrod aircraft from RAF Kinloss, a coastguard helicopter from Stornaway, a Royal Naval helicopter from RNAS Prestwick and an Irish search and rescue helicopter were also involved.

By Tuesday morning four vessels, one British and three Norwegian, had joined the search for survivors.

It was understood the crew consisted of 15 Germans and one Spaniard.