Search for missing divers The 48ft 6in Solent class lifeboat Hugh William Viscount Gough was launched from Dunbar in the same search for the missing divers as the Eyemouth lifeboat on 6 October 1990 (see previous page), and the efforts of her Coxswain during the service won him the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum.A framed letter of thanks signed by the Chairman has been awarded to the other members of the iifeboat crew: Second Coxswain Orlando Sammels, Acting Mechanic Angus Wight, Crew Members John Fairgrieve, James Huntly, Christopher Renton and Robert Davies.

The coastguard first informed the station of the situation at 1644, and the lifeboat launched at 1705 into hurricane-force northerly winds gusting to more than 100 knots with a very heavy sea breaking on-shore.

In his report on the service the divisional inspector for Scotland South, Tony Course, observed: 'the crews' response was in the highest tradition of the lifeboat service. All knew that they would have to pass through what has been described as a maelstrom, and that they would have to rely on the seamanship of their coxswain to reach the relative safety of open water: there would be nosecond chance in conditions which were described as the worst in living memory.' The lifeboat was struck by a large sea as she was leavingthe harbour and Coxswain Wight had difficulty in manoeuvring clear of the narrow channel, before pausing to take stock of the conditions at sea and pressing on to clear offlying rocks.

Coxswain Wight had to head offshore for nearly three miles in a north-easterly direction before he could turn the lifeboat downweather to the south-east on a course for St Abbs head.

She arrived off the head at around 1905 and was asked by the coastguard to search the area off Coldingham Bay, in a southerlydirection. Although the wind had moderated slightly and backed gradually to the NNW a very heavy sea remained in the moderate gale and visibility was still reduced in the overcast conditions with rain squalls.

The Solent searched for nearly 45 minutes until at 1945 the coastguard decided that it was too dangerous to continue searching close inshore in the dark and very bad conditions and suspended the search .

The lifeboat was faced with the same conditions as the Eyemouth lifeboat, and the same difficulties in finding a safe haven. She eventually followed the Waveney into Burnmouth at 2005, the crew returning to Dunbar after hearing the the missing divers were now all safe.

Hugh William Viscount Gough was not able to return to her station until the following day, being on station and ready for service again by 1930..