On rocks BELFAST COASTGUARD informed the honorary secretary of Donaghadee lifeboat station at 2355 on Thursday May 21, 1981, that a motor cruiser with three people on board was aground near the entrance to Copelands Marina, south of the harbour; she was pounding badly and in danger of breaking up.

Maroons were fired at midnight and at 0007 on Friday May 22 Donaghadee lifeboat, the 44ft Waveney Arthur and Blanche Harris, under the command of Coxswain James Bunting, slipped her moorings.The night was clouded with a fresh southerly breeze, force 5, and a moderate south-easterly sea running against the tide. High water was at 0200.

Arriving off the marina at 0012, Coxswain Bunting found the motor cruiser Rosita aground about 50 metres from the shore and surrounded by isolated rocks. A crowd had gathered ashore so that it would not have been safe to fire rocket line from the lifeboat.

As he considered the men on the cruiser were in serious danger Coxswain Bunting took the lifeboat in through passage between the rocks to pass line. The first tow pulled out a cleat from the motor cruiser and two more runs were made between the rocks before a line was firmly secured and the lifeboat reversed towing the casualty clear.

Once in deep water the cruiser settled by the head and the lifeboat was brought alongside to take off the three people on board. A line was secured aft and Rosita was towed into Donaghadee Harbour and made fast alongside at 0040. She sank shortly afterwards but it was possible to lift her out by crane later.

The lifeboat was back on her moorings and ready for service at 0050.

For this service a framed letter of thanks signed by the Duke of Atholl, chairman of the Institution, was presented to Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic James Bunting..