On the afternoon of July 9 a giant wave washed three boys off Sterlochy Rocks immediately east of Findochty Harbour. Two were pulled to safety by Uwe Brandt, an oil rig worker, who waded more than waist deep into the rough seas. Buckle lifeboat, the 47ft Watson Laura Moncur, was launched at 1515 and together with the Coastguard, the Police, an RAF helicopter from Lossiemouth and local people, she searched for several hours, but no trace of the third boy could be found.

photograph by courtesy of Aberdeen Journals.