LIFEBOAT MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

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S.S. A.F.A.

Stornoway, Outer Hebrides - At ii a.m. on 9th March, 1966, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that they had received a call from the owners of the Fleetwood trawler SSAFA saying that the vessel had on board a seriously injured man. She was making for Stornoway, was expected to arrive at about 2 p.m., and had requested the lifeboat to meet her with a doctor and oxygen equipment. The life-boat's crew and doctor were alerted and stood by for threequarters of an hour while the coastguard tried to contact the trawler to ascertain her position. The coastguard failed to contact her and at 11.45 it was decided that the life-boat James and Margret Boyd should go in the direction of the Butt of Lewis in the hope of intercepting the SSAFA. The life-boat left in a strong westerly breeze and a rough sea. It was two hours and a half after low water. She met the trawler north of the Tiumpan Head lighthouse and a doctor and a member of the life-boat crew, qualified in first aid, together with the oxygen equipment, were transferred to her. The SSAFA then continued to Stornoway, where an ambulance was waiting to take the sick man to hospital. The life-boat arrived back at her moorings at 3.40 p.m..