Aith and Lerwick, Shetlands; and Stronsay, Orkneys. At 5.28 p.m. on Tuesday, i5th June, 1965, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary of the Lerwick life-boat station that a 46-foot motor fishing vessel bound for Lerwick from Kirkwall was overdue. Someone had called the coastguard mentioning Sumburgh Head but no further contact could be made and nothing further had been heard. At 6.37 the coastguard reported that the motor fishing vessel Fertile had called with a "Pan" message but no reply could be received from her.

The maroons were fired and the lifeboat Lady Jane and Martha Ryland, on temporary duty at the station, left her moorings at 7.10. Visibility was poor because of fog and there was a moderate south-easterly breeze and a rough sea.

The tide was flooding. A full description of the Fertile was given to the life-boat coxswain, who was asked to search the coastline from Mousa to Sumburgh Head. Nothing was seen but during the Bight the life-boat carried out a search iover a very wide area until about 10.50 a.m. on i6th J.une, when she returned to her station as fuel was short.

In the meantime both the Stronsay and Aith life-boat stations had been told that the Lerwick life-boat was unable to find the Fertile, and the Stronsay life-boat The John Gellatly Hyndman proceeded at 8.35 a.m. and the Aith life-boat The John and Francis Macfarlane at 11.25 a.m.

to help.

SHACKLETON SUCCESSFUL A Shackleton aircraft eventually found the Fertile about 30 miles north of Foula.

When the Aith life-boat reached her the Fertile'?, crew of four were all well, but her engines and radio were defective and her compass useless. She was on passage to Lerwick for an overhaul and refit. The Aith life-boat escorted her to Scalloway, arriving at 9.30 p.m. and reached her station at 2.25 a.m. on iyth June.

The Stronsay life-boat was recalled to her station when the Fertik had been found and she arrived back at 4.15 p.m.

on 16th June..