Just eight days later Soldian was once again at sea on service to another factory ship in severe weather. At 2310 on Wednesday 17 November the Kaliningrad-registered factory trawler Borodinskoye Polye went ashore on the Unicorn reef in the northern approaches Lerwick. The Coastguard requested an immediate launch, and by 2325 the lifeboat was underway in a south-westerly Gale Force 8, occasionally gusting to Storm Force 10. Visibility was very poor and seas up to 16ft high were running near the casualty.Once again joint second coxswain Peter Thomson took the lifeboat from her moorings and collected joint second coxswain Clark from the Maryfield Ferry Terminal before proceeding at full speed towards the casualty.

When Soldian arrived the 3,985 tonne vessel was aground and beam-to the sea, her bows rolling and pitching on the rocks.

The pilot vessels Kebister and Knab were already securing tow lines and a helicopter was preparing to winch survivors to safety. However the Coastguard informed the lifeboat that there were 74 people on board, and asked them to help evacuate survivors.

Just after 2400 the lifeboat began an approach to leeward of the casualty, even though there was very little room between the ship and the shallowest part of the reef. William Clark had to keep the lifeboat so close to the violently rolling casualty that a large fender hanging from the ship struck the Arun, damaging the aerials, guard rails and the Y boat ramp.

Despite the damage the lifeboat continued her approach to a jumping ladder rigged just aft of amidships on the casualty.

The ladder ended some 30ft above the water of the casualty, and the lifeboat was rising and falling up to 20ft in the heavy swell alongside.

Every time the lifeboat's upper steering position came level the Arun was driven in close and the crew plucked one survivor at a time from the ladder. While this difficult manoeuvre was taking placefuel oil was spraying over the deck of the lifeboat from the casualty's ruptured tanks. The deck was extremely slippery and hazardous and all crew members were needed on deck to help the survivors safely to the wheelhouse and forward cabin.

By now the tugs had secured tow lines and were trying to refloat the stricken vessel, but this proved impossible in the conditions and the attempt was abandoned.

Soldian continued to dive alongside and take off survivors one by one, but on one attempt two survivors fell into the sea as she approached. William Clark went hard astern and his quick reactions saved them from being crushed between the two vessels. One survivor made it to the ladder and was hauled aboard the lifeboat while the other was pulled back aboard the casualty.

By 0120, after 35 difficult approaches, the lifeboat had 37 survivors on board, the helicopter had landed 18 and was on its second winching mission. 73 people were accounted for and, after a 20 minute delay, the 74th was discovered to have been transferred to another vessel earlier in the day. With all survivors safe the lifeboat returned to Lerwick, landing the 37 men at 0200.

The damage to the lifeboat included port guard rails, the Y boat ramp, satellite and Decca navigation system aerials and minor damage to the mast, but she was ready for service again by 0230. Temporary repairs were carried out and by 0930 only the Decca was out of action.

In his report the inspector of lifeboats for Scotland remarked that joint second coxswain William Clark had taken the lifeboat alongside the casualty 35 times in just over an hour, even though the lifeboat was damaged on its first approach and there was very little room for manoeuvre.

He also praised the crew for their skill and dexterity in working on the slippery lifeboat deck while being sprayed with fuel and seawater and for coping with 37 survivors..