Wick, Caithness - At 12.3 p.m. on 17th October, 1969, the coastguard sent a message to the coxswain of the life-boat that a red flare had been sighted some four to five miles south of the coastguard lookout and that there was a small boat in the vicinity.

The life-boat Sir Godfrey Baring slipped her moorings at 12.10 in a moderate southerly wind with a corresponding sea. It was two hours after low water. At one o'clock she came up with the lobster boat Skua about two miles east of Sarelett head. The Skua had engine trouble and was driving ashore. She had a crew of two. The life-boat took her in tow to Wick harbour at 2.15 p.m., and returned to her station at 2.45..