Wick, Caithness-shire. At 7.30 on the morning of the 9th of January, 1961, a message was received that a vessel was on fire off Duncansby Head. There was a light north-easterly breeze with a slight sea, and it was almost low water. At eight o'clock the life-boat City of Edinburgh was launched. On reaching the position given she found the Faroese fishing smack Else ashore. Four of her crew of six had left the smack in her boat. The Else was labouring heavily and making water, and the life-boat took the skipper and engineer off. The tug Metinda HI arrived shortly afterwards, and the skipper and engineer returned to the casualty with the tug's salvage party. Later the life-boat went alongside the smack and took off the skipper and the engineer, as well as the salvage party and their gear, as operations were being hampered by adverse weather conditions. The party were put on board the Metinda HI, and the life-boat returned to her station at five o'clock in the evening..