TWENTY-THREE HOUR SERVICE TO TRAWLER Portrush, Co. Antrim. At 12.32 on the morning of the 3rd November, 1962, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that a trawler had grounded on a wreck in Church Bay, Rathlin Island, but that she was in no immediate danger. At 1.9 the coastguard reported that she was making water, and eleven minutes later the life-boat Lady Scott (Civil Service No. 4) was launched in a light south-westerly breeze, a ground swell and an ebbing tide. She found the trawler Ella Hewett of Fleetwood, which had nineteen people on board, aground on the wreck of a warship and stood by her. One of the trawler's crew had been injured, and the life-boat intended taking him ashore and wirelessed for a doctor and an ambulance to meet her at Ballycastle. However, the skipper asked the life-boat to remain with the vessel until after high water. At 10.40 the life-boat embarked the injured man and thirteen of the crew. She landed them at Ballycastle, then returned to the Ella Hewitt and continued to stand by.

By this time the trawler had developed a list, which worsened during the afternoon.

At 4.20 the life-boat rescued the skipper and four other men. She then returned to her station, arriving at midnight, having been on service for twenty-three hours. Soon after the life-boat had left the position the trawler slipped off the wreck and sank.

The owners expressed their thanks to the coxswain and the crew of the life-boat..