On the 8th May, at about half-past five o'clock in the afternoon, the lightkeeper at Scurdyness telephoned that a boat was in danger on the Annat Bank.

The Life-boat Robert Henderson was launched and on nearing the boat it could be seen that there were four men on board, and that the sea was breaking over her. When the Life-boat came up one of the men had been washed overboard and the boat was full of water.

The man in the water was first picked up, and ropes were then thrown to the others, by means of which they were dragged into the Life-boat, which promptly returned ashore with them, as they were all greatly exhausted. The boat was a pleasure one and had been hired by the four men who rowed down the river, but the strong ebb tide carried her into the broken water and on to the Annat Bank, and in the absence of the Life-boat the trip would in all probability have had a fatal termination..