Five lifeboats in long search for lost fishermen Newcastle, Co. Down's, Oakley class lifeboat Jane Hay and Portaferry's Atlantic 21 Blue Peter V took part in long searches for the two crewmen from a fishing boat Silver Quest which disapeared on 7 September 1990. Other lifeboats from Kilkeel, Clogher Head and Port St Mary also took part in the search, as did seven fishing vessel, two helicopters and a Nimrod aircraft.The Newcastle lifeboat searched for more than 25 hours over a two-day period, with food and fuel being ferried out in fishing vessels to extend the lifeboat's duration.

The Oakley first launched at 2145 having been informed by Belfast coastguard that Silver Quest was overdue after attending to creels in Dundrum Bay.

At 2235 the Portaferry Atlantic 21 lifeboat Blue Peter V launched to join the search and, with no accurate position to work from, a large-scale air and sea search was instigated.

Coxswain Morgan acted as 'on-scene commander' and co-ordinated the search from the Newcastle lifeboat until an Irish naval vessel joined the search at 0300 the following day and assumed the role.

The search was eventually called off at1400 on 8 September, the fishing vessel Valcon having ferried out fuel and meals prepared by helpers ashore to the Newcastle lifeboat and the Portaferry Atlantic having changed crews every two to three hours.

By the time the lifeboats returned to their stations the Newcastle boat had been searching for more than 16 hours and the Portaferry Atlantic had been at sea for more than 16 hours.

On 14 September the body of one of the crew of the fishing boat was recovered and three days later local fishermen organised a search for the second. As the sea was rough they requested the Newcastle lifeboat's assistance and for more than nine hours the search was resumed, although nothing was found. On this second occassion the crew and helpers did not even claim the small allowance usually paid to them by the RNLI.

The Institution's chief of operations has written to both the stations in appreciation of their long hours at sea and the efforts of all concerned..