MINISTER OF TRANSPORT EXPRESSES THANKS Stornoway, Hebrides. At 9.30 on the evening of the 3rd December, 1962, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that a mayday distress signal had been heard from a vessel and that they were trying to discover her position.

Five minutes later the coastguard told the honorary secretary that the distress signal had been sent by the trawler Boston Heron of Fleetwood, which was ashore near Glas island. At 10.5 the life-boat The James and Margaret Boyd put out in a south-westerly gale and a very rough sea. It was low water. The life-boat found the trawler on an islet a mile and a half west-south-west of Glas island. In the meantime the life-saving apparatus team from Tarbet had reached the position of the trawler, having been ferried there by local fishing boats.

Three of the trawler's crew who were on the island, together with two more who had been taken off by breeches buoy set up by the life saving apparatus team, were taken to Scalpay by one of the fishing boats. Three bodies were also picked up and taken ashore. The lifeboat searched for any other possible survivors, as the Boston Heron had a crew of twelve. Nothing was found and at 7.30 the life-boat was asked to go to the assistance of a Dutch vessel ashore at Keboch Head. The vessel, however, refloated shortly afterwards, and the life-boat was recalled at 11.30.

A question was asked in the House of Commons in connection with the loss of the trawler Boston Heron. After a statement had been made by Mr. Ernest Marples, the Minister of Transport, the member for Pembroke who had originally raised the question, Mr. Desmond Donnelly, asked if the Minister would thank the rescue services in the area concerned for the gallantry and determination with which they had acted. Mr.

Marples said that he would pass Mr.

Donnelly's remarks on to those concerned..