RED FLARES FIRED At 3.20 p.m. on ist December, 1963, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that the motor fishing vessel Village Maid was firing red flares between Whiten Head and Locherribol. There was a fresh southerly breeze with a rough sea. The tide was ebbing. The life-boat Pentland (Civil Service No. 31) launched at 3.40 but the Village Maid sank before the life-boat arrived and her crew of three were rescued by the trawler Mount Everest. The three survivors were transferred to the life-boat and landed at Scrabster. The life-boat arrived back at her station at 9.30..