Stranded BELFAST COASTGUARD reported to the honorary secretary of Portpatrick lifeboat station at 0355 on Friday February 26, 1982, that Craigantlet, a merchant vessel on passage from Belfast to Liverpool, laden, had gone ashore off Killantringan, 1% miles to the north of the station. There were 11 people on board. The 46ft 9in Watson relief lifeboat Lady Scott (Civil Service No 4), on temporary duty at Portpatrick, launched at 0420 under the command of Coxswain/Mechanic Charles Bowry.

The night was overcast and it was raining; visibility was at best fair. A near gale, force 7, gusting to gale force 8 was blowing from the south west and the sea was very rough. It was three hours after high water.

Craigantlet was sighted just west of Killantringan Lighthouse at 0435. Five minutes later the lifeboat was taken down wind on her first approach so that Coxswain Bowry could assess the situation.

Coming within 300 yards, it could be seen that the vessel was aground with her whole port side to the shore and her whole starboard side presented to the full force of the wind. Two gaps of about 80ft were seen between rocks ahead and astern of the stranded vessel.

The sea height was about 20 feet.

The lifeboat turned west, clear of Craigantlet and radio communications were established both with her and with the Coastguard mobile ashore.

Craigantlet's master thought an approach could be made through the forward gap between the vessel and the rocks, rounding up on her port bow.

The lifeboat made a second approach, this time to within 150 yards of the casualty, but crew members stationed each side of the wheelhouse shouted to say that they could see a line of rocks directly ahead. It could also then be seen that the lifeboat would not have room to turn once she had passed between the rocks, so she was taken out again to the west.

Coxswain Bowry was on his way to look at the possibilities of passing between the rocks at the casualty's stern when the lifeboat was struck by a very heavy sea which filled the wheelhouse, damaging the port door and lifting the deck tracking in several places on the port side. It was apparent that there wasno possibility of approaching the merchant vessel from astern and it would have been equally impossible to take off her crew from the weather side.

It was now about 50 minutes before dawn and Coxswain Bowry reported to Belfast Coastguard that Craigantlet looked stable; none of her deck cargo containers had shifted. Although seas were breaking over the vessel, he thought it would be prudent to await first light.

The Coastguard mobile ashore then reported that some of Craigantlet's crew were trying to abandon ship by means of a liferaft launched on the vessel's port side. At Coxswain Bowry's request, the crew were asked to stand fast and remain on board. At this time a rocket was successfully fired from the merchant vessel to the Coastguard and a light line between ship and shore was established. However, information came from Belfast Coastguard that a helicopter was on her way from RNAS Prestwick and the lifeboat was asked to stand by.

All 11 people were safely airlifted from Craigantlet by 0700. The lifeboat returned to station and was once again ready for service by 0735..