SEARCH FOR YACHT REPORTED ON FIRE Troon, Ayrshire. At 1.34, early on the morning of the 13th May, 1962, the coastguard told the honorary secretary a message had been received that a yacht was on fire somewhere in the Sound of Bute and said further enquiries were being made. After more information had been received the life-boat James and Barbara Aitken left her moorings at 2.30 in a light north-westerly wind and a slight sea. It was almost low water.

The original message that a yacht was on fire had come from a police sergeant at Tighnabruaich, and when the lifeboat arrived there at 6.15 the coxswain questioned him. The police sergeant had no doubt that he had seen a yacht on fire, and the life-boat, with the help of H.M.S. Kilmorie and a helicopter, carried out a search. At 10.35, while he was still searching, the coxswain saw the small cabin cruiser Linnet with four people on board. She had broken down with engine trouble and was then four miles from the Arran coast. The life-boat took the Linnet in tow to Brodick and then continued the search for the yacht. Nothing was found, and at three o'clock in the afternoon the search was abandoned. The life-boat returned to her station, arriving at 5.35. It was later learnt that the s.s.

Meteor had been in the area searched, and as her decks had been lit up she might have been mistaken for a vessel on fire..