COXSWAIN'S SONS RESCUED Longhope, and Stromness, Orkneys, and Wick, and Thurso, Caithness- shire. At 5.30 p.m. on I7th December, 1963, the coastguard told the Longhope honorary secretary that red flares had been seen in the Pentland Firth, bearing west-south-west from the coastguard station. After making enquiries it was established that the fishing vessel Delightful with two of the Longhope coxswain's sons on board had not yet returned from a fishing trip. There was a moderate north-north-easterly breeze with a smooth sea. It was low water. The life-boat T.G.B. launched at 5.50 and began to search the area. At 6.55 the Stromness life-boat Archibald and Alexander M. Paterson launched to help the Longhope life-boat. A Shackleton aircraft joined in the search at nine o'clock but was recalled about an hour later as her radar set failed. The weather had by this time deteriorated and there was a near gale from the north-north-east with a rough sea. Visibility was reduced, owing to frequent snow showers. At 4.30 a.m.

the trawler Glen Struan reported that she had sighted the casualty one mile north of Stroma lighthouse, but as a result of the weather had lost sight of her again. At six o'clock on the following morning the Wick life-boat City of Edinburgh launched to help in the search and to relieve the Stromness life-boat. At seven o'clock the Thurso life-boat Pentland (Civil Service No. 31) launched and at 8.30 found the casualty in Brough Bay. The Thurso lifeboat towed the Delightful to Longhope, escorted by the Longhope and Stromness life-boats. The Wick life-boat arrived back at her station at 11.30. The other three life-boats reached Longhope at 11.30 and the Thurso and Stromness life-boats arrived back at their stations at 1.30 and 1.15 p.m. respectively..