At 0850 on Sunday 29 August the Coastguard received a distress call from a 35ft yacht Sardilou which had crashed on to the Meadulse Rocks off Inchcolm Island with four people on board.

The RNLI Queensferry lifeboat was at the scene by 0905 to find the yacht, a Westerly Seahawk, stuck fast on the rocks with four people aboard.

The yacht Sardilou had been under sail from Aberdour and approaching Inchcolm Island, in the Firth of Forth, in rough seas when they were hit by a 30-knot gust of wind which drove them hard on to the rocks.

The skipper, fearing that in the rough seas and strong winds the yacht was in danger of capsizing, launched the liferaft.

The volunteer lifeboat crew attached a line and evacuated the four sailors safely on to the lifeboat, landing them back at South Queensferry before returning to the Meadulse Rocks to find the yacht now high and dry on the rocks.

With the yacht secured and having appeared not to have suffered serious damage, the lifeboat returned for the yacht’s skipper and a crew member, taking them back to the Sardilou where they safely got aboard.

On the rising tide the lifeboat crew attached a towline and pulled the yacht well clear of the rocks.

Her skipper was then able to start the engine and under RNLI escort motored to Port Edgar Marina, where the yacht could undergo a full inspection.

For more information visit www.rnli.org.uk