Search for survivors inHurricane Force 11 and 40ft seas A recent review of past services has led the Chairman of the RNLI to write to the coxswain and crew of the Islay lifeboat saying that it was now evident that a service carried out on 18 December 1991 was no ordinary one, and thanking them for a service conducted in the best traditions of the lifeboat service.

The station's lifeboat,He/muf Schroder of Dunlossit, proceeded in the early hours of the morning after the Russian fish-factory ship Kartli reported engine failure and fired flares some nine miles west of the Rhinns of Islay lighthouse. The night was very dark and Gale force winds and very rough seas were encountered on passage, with occasional hail storms and lightning. When the lifeboat arrived she was tasked tosearch for the crew of Kartli who had taken to the liferafts. She searched for two hours, in winds up to Hurricane Force 11 and seasup to 40ft high, monitoring radio transmissions from other vessels taking part in the search and from an RAF Nimrod which was acting as on scene commander. When all survivors were accounted for the lifeboat was stood down and finally returned to her sta- tion at 1430.