Eight-hour service for Lerwick's Arun in appalling conditions Lerwick's Arun class lifeboat Soldian spent nearly eight hours at sea in hurricane-force winds and huge seas on 12 December 1990 in what proved to be a tragically fruitless search for the six crew of a large fishing vessel.

The weather and sea conditions experienced on this service were the worst experienced by Coxswain Hewitt Clark, and both he and the crew later expressed their great confidence in the Arun, never doubting her abilities in the appalling conditions experienced up to 40 miles off Shetland.The honorary secretary had been monitoring a VHP radio message from Shetland coastguard after a ships distress beacon had begun transmitting, and twenty minutes later, at 0825, he was paged by the coastguard. A rescue helicopter despatched to the scene had spotted an upturned vessel and Soldian was asked to launch - which she did at 0840.

The reported position was some 40 miles just south of east of the station, the wind N, Force 11 and the sea state at the casualty '9', the highest category and indicating seas higher than 45ft.

Soldian was able to make 15 knots despite the weather to arrive at the casualty at 1115, to find her capsized with no sign of survivors.

As a wave lifted the hull the crew could make out her name, Premier.

Liferaft The rescue helicopter, which had led the Arun to the casualty as visibility was poor in the huge seas, reported a drifting liferaft about 5 miles downwind and Soldian moved off to check it. Thirty minutes later, at 1145 the lifeboat came alongside the raft only to discover it was empty. It was too dangerous to take it aboard so an attempt was made to tow it. This failed and the raft was cut free to allow the lifeboat to return to the upturned hull.

A lifebelt was recovered some 45 minutes later but there were still no signs of survivors and at 1310 the crew could only report that the casualty had sunk.

With darkness gathering in these high latitudes it was decided to release the lifeboat and allow her to return to Lerwick while a Nimrod and helicopters searched downwind in the failing light. The search was called off at 1500.

Soldian battled back to station, arriving safely at 1555.

Tragically no trace was found of the six members of Premier's crew..