An air search for men in a lifeboat rowing in a gale after their cargo steamer had sunk, ended successfully in the Orkneys recently.
Flying Officer Adam Smith, of the Kirkwall depot of Highland Airways, Limited, set out at 4 p.m, to search for a small boat flying distress signals a mile and a half south-east of Start Point, Island of Sanday. A coastguard message started that the men in the boat were pulling in a westerly direction in a gale of wind with showers prevailing, Later Flying "Officer Smith reported by wireless that he had located the craft, which was being taken in tow by a trawler.
At 7 o'clock the trawler, the Loch Assater, of Aberdeen, put into Kirk-wall with the crew of the cargo steamer, The Shetlands, from Age-sund on board and the lifeboat in low, The men said the steamer. loaded with herring barrels, had foundered north of North Ronald-shay at 830 that morning. All the crew of 23 escaped, the mate being rescued from among floating barrels after the steamer sank. The rowed until taken in tow late in the after-moon. After they were observed from Start Point Lighthouse, Sanday, a signal was sent to the trawler, the Loch Assater. The lighthouse men also notified all shore stations, resulting in the aeroplane search.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.