AT 9.25 on 25th October, 1967, Valentia radio informed the assistant honorary secretary of the Galway Bay life-boat station that the Greek motor vessel Razani was aground three quarters of a mile east south east of Black Head, Galway Bay. She was not thought to be in immediate danger.

An hour and three quarters later the Razani asked for life-boat help, and at 11.15 the maroons were fired.

A force 10 south south westerly gale was blowing. The sea was very rough and visibility was poor. It was high water.

Conditions at Kilronan, where the life-boat is moored, were such that the life-boat crew spent two hours trying to reach the life-boat in their boarding boat. Three times they were driven back on the strand. The first time the boarding boat struck a boulder near the slipway and was nearly capsized. Nevertheless the crew persisted, and having launched the boarding boat successfully they approached the life-boat. This time they were driven back past the pierhead, and the wind by now had reached hurricane force.

FIFTH ATTEMPT For the fifth attempt an extra member of the crew was embarked to help steer the boarding boat, and this time she reached the life-boat successfully. At 2 o'clock the life-boat Mabel Marion Thompson, which is one of the 46-foot Watson class, slipped her moorings and put out with a crew of nine. All were wet to the skin.

The life-boat reached the Razani at 4.15 and lay off to windward until 7.30.The Greek motor vessel's boats had been smashed alongside. The life-boat took off eight members of the crew, the master and four others deciding to remain aboard.

The eight survivors were landed at Galway Docks at 9.30 and at 3 o'clock in the afternoon the life-boat left for her station, arriving at 7.30 in the evening.

The Greek motor vessel remained fast aground, the other five members of the crew being taken off by a helicopter.

For this service framed letters of commendation signed by the Chairman of the Institution, Admiral Sir Wilfrid Woods, G.B.E., K.C.B., D.S.O., were sent to Coxswain Coleman Hernon and the other eight members of the crew. They were Second Coxswain Thomas Flaherty, Bowman Brian Fitzpatrick, Motor Mechanic Bartley Mullin, and crew members Jack Gill, Anthony O'Brien, Malachy Beatty, Thomas Joyce, and Patrick Mullin..