DOUGLAS, Isle of Man, Sunday January 26, 1986: a woman had suffered a suspected heart attack aboard the Belfast to Liverpool ferry, St Colum I. At 0313 Douglas lifeboat, the 46ft 9in Watson class, R. A. Colby Cubbin No 1, launched with the station's honorary medical adviser, Dr Richard Hamm, on board and Coxswain Robert Corran in command. The lifeboat rendezvoused with the ferry in a moderate sea and force 4 breeze, half a mile to the east of Douglas Head. The doctor was lifted aboard the ferry in one of the ship's lifeboats which had been lowered for him. He decided the patient should not be transferred to the lifeboat so the captain of St Colum I radioed for permission to come alongside Douglas' Victoria Pier and asked Douglas lifeboat to lead him in. At 0400 the ferry was alongside and the woman lowered in a Neil Robertson stretcher (right) to a waiting ambulance.

photograph by courtesy of Roger Oram.