LIFELINE ferry services will be disrupted for a second day while a vessel is redeployed to cope with cancellations after a CalMac crew member tested positive for Covid.
It comes after five days of disruption across the network due to strong winds.
Morning services from the mainland to Colonsay were cancelled in advance on Tuesday after the 23-year-old MV Clansman was shifted to help deal with a backlog caused by disruption to services to and from Coll and Tiree due to the ill staff member.
All services to and from Coll and Tiree were cancelled on Sunday due to reduced crew availability.
A further sailing has been organised for Tuesday to deal with a backlog.
READ MORE: 'Only travel if necessary': Warning as one of CalMac's oldest ferries remains out of action
But it has come at the price of two morning sailings being cancelled to and from Colonsay and Islay on Tuesday.
It isn't the first time those travelling to and from Coll and Tiree have suffered disruption in the past few weeks due to Clansman's redeployment.
It was brought to help with sailings affected on the Oban to Colonsay route as the issues with Hebridean Isles' hull kept it out of service for nearly two weeks after becoming sidelined at the start of last month.
It comes after a series of cancellations since Wednesday to sailings across the CalMac network due to high winds.
On Saturday a bookable morning service between Mull and Iona failed to operate due to the weather conditions after a series of cancelled sailings on Friday.
The weather put paid to host of services to and from Mull, Skye, Kerrera, Lismore and the Small Isles of Eigg, Muck, Rum and Canna on Friday.
High winds prompted CalMac to advise passengers on the route between the mainland to Tobermory on Mull not to travel unless absolutely necessary.
It comes after a summer of issues with breakdowns and Covid issues involving Scotland's ageing ferry fleet.
Islanders from Arran to Islay have lodged complaints to ministers about disruption and cancellations to services as the fleet falters.
While industry experts agree the working life of the ferries is 25 years, 14 of the 33-strong ferry fleet run is older than that, with eight, including Hebridean Isles, past their 30th birthday.
The delivery of new island ferries MV Glen Sannox and Hull 802, still languishing in Ferguson Marine shipyard, which were due online in the first half of 2018, was found to be over four years late with costs doubling to over £200m.
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