Troon, Ayrshire. At 10.5 on the morning of the 6th of January, 1961, the life-boat James and Barbara Aitken put out in a light north-north-easterly wind and a slight sea to the Harry R. Jones of Wilmington, to whose help she had gone the day before. The steamer was still aground to the south of Ardrossan.

On reaching her the life-boat passed a tow rope from a tug, but the attempt to refloat the ship failed. The life-boat therefore took off her crew of seventeen and landed them at Ardrossan. She then returned to her station, arriving at 4.10..