Fishing vessel aground A DISTRESS CALL asking for lifeboat assistance from the fishing vessel Admiral Van Tromp was passed to the honorary secretary of Whitby lifeboat station by Whitby Coastguard at 0302 on Thursday, September 30, 1976; the boat was aground under the cliffs in the vicinity of Whitby High Light.

Maroons were fired and at 0326 the 42' Watson lifeboat William and Mary Durham, on temporary duty at Whitby, slipped her moorings and, with Coxswain Robert Allen in command, cleared Whitby Bar Buoy and set course south east by south for the latest position of the casualty, 'in the vicinity of Black Nab'.

It was low water with an easterly breeze, force 3, and visibility was reduced to about 40 yards by thick fog.

The sea was slight but there was a very heavy onshore swell. Despite this swell, breaking at times, Coxswain Allen maintained full speed until about 0350 when he considered that he had run his distance. He stopped engines to listen for any indication of activity and asked the casualty to fire flares. Seeing the loom of lights inshore, the lifeboat headed in to investigate.

As she closed the shore, the effect of the swell was most marked, and the crew could now see heavy breaking seas spending themselves against Admiral Van Tromp, lying head south east on her port bilge, listing steeply to port.

While moving in closer the lifeboat was pooped by breaking seas, estimated by the Coastguard to be some 20 feethigh. It was extremely difficult in the poor visibility to position the casualty accurately in relation to the shore, so Coxswain Allen withdrew, going full astern; he decided that by waiting for more water he would stand a better chance of closing the casualty.

Throughout this period HM Coastguard were on the shore at the foot of the cliffs, trying to make contact with rescue equipment. Conditions were such, however, that it would have been impossible for the crew of Admiral Van Tromp to come out on deck to handle the lines.

At 0414 the casualty reported that the situation was getting desperate: they would have to leave the vessel.

Coxswain Allen ordered William ana Mary Durham's anchor to be made ready as well as veering and line throwing gear; then, with heavy breaking seas coming aboard, the lifeboat was anchored and her cable veered until she was some 60 feet off Admiral Van Tromp. Three gun lines were fired, but, with the violent motion, the first struck the superstructure and washed clear and the second went into the water. The third line appeared to lie right across the casualty but this, too, was washed clear; as with the Coastguard lines, it was highly unlikely that anyone on board could have secured it.

The very heavy seas continued to break over the lifeboat and it became apparent that the anchor was coming home and was no longer holding. The boat's head was thrown to starboard and she was being swept broadside towards the rocks. Quickly putting his engines full ahead and wheel hard to port, Coxswain Allen succeeded in clawing the lifeboat head to sea and clear as she started to bounce on the rock shelf.

The anchor was recovered and it was found that the fluke had broken off, so Coxswain Allen took the lifeboat alongside the fishing vessel Jann Denise and borrowed her large anchor as well as a smaller one from Courage and two line throwing units which might be needed.

The larger anchor was bent on to the cable and Coxswain Allen again anchored and veered down to the casualty. There was no sign of life on board. The lifeboat had got to within 25 feet when two enormous seas broke over her, sweeping three of her crew on deck off their feet and washing them aft.

Raymond Dent managed to hook his arm around a stanchion but dislocated his shoulder and Howard Bedford, who was brought up all standing by his lifeline, struck his head and lost consciousness.

The injured men were sheltered in the well and Coxswain Allen ordered the anchor rope to be cut as he steamed at full speed through the breaking seas.

Once clear, he transferred Raymond Dent to Jann Denise to be taken for treatment at Whitby. Howard Bedford had recovered and remained on board.

Coxswain Allen returned to the casualty but heavy breaking seas once again swept the lifeboat, damaging the after rails; the VHP handset was also shattered. There being no sign of life aboard Admiral Van Tromp, he returned alongside Courage to await daylight and a possible improvement in visibility.

At 0630 Raymond Dent was landed at Whitby and taken to hospital, while Michael Coates and Brian Hodgson returned to the lifeboat aboard Jann Denise to make up the crew.

At 0800 Whitby lifeboat, with better visibility, moved into Saltwick Hole and sighted what the crew thought to be a body but which turned out to be an empty lifejacket. They knew that two survivors had been recovered ashore but that three were still unaccounted for.

One survivor having been sighted on Black Nab, Coxswain Allen approached the rock, but unfortunately the lifeboat could not get closer than 50 yards.

The Coastguard were trying to get a line to the man from the shore, so the lifeboat anchored off to await the arrival of the ILB.

The assembly signal was made for Whitby D class ILB at 0823 and seven minutes later she had launched and was on her way. It was one hour before high water; the wind was still easterly, force 3, with a moderate sea and heavy swell.

Visibility was poor.

To clear the heavy swell inshore, Helmsman Richard Robinson kept well out to sea as he made for Saltwick. At 0841 he stopped to listen for the fog signal of the High Light. From situation reports passed to the ILB, the strong smell of diesel and the presence of wreckage it was clear that they were in the search area. Helmsman Robinson cautiously headed inshore and the ILB was alongside the lifeboat at 0845. On the run in they had been caught within the line of breaking seas and with expert handling had averted a capsize when overtaken by one of the large breakers.

The ILB crew were informed of the situation and the survivor on Black Nab was now clearly visible. Thinking that conditions inshore of the rock would be less dangerous, Helmsman Robinson took the ILB through the confused broken water into Saltwick Bay to view the situation at close hand. The survivor, seeing them, started to clamber across the rock, now being swept by the sea, and Helmsman Robinson, realising that at any moment he would be washed off the rock, drove the ILB at full speed to the shore side of the rock and on to a ledge. His two crew members, David Wharton and Anthony Easton, grabbed the man as a large sea broke over the rock, filling the boat and washing her back into the sea.

Unfortunately, the propeller was fouled by one of the spent gun lines in the water. The oars were manned but a second sea hit the boat. While one crew member caught hold of a rocket line,managing to hold the bow while the propeller was cleared, the other put the anchor over. Although there was a considerable rise and fall, the action of the sea kept them clear of the rock.

Once the propeller was free and the engine restarted, the anchor was recovered and the ILB returned through the broken water to Whitby lifeboat on to which the survivor was transferred.

It was now known that the other two members of the fishing vessel crew were dead.

On return to Whitby at 0930 the survivor was taken to hospital suffering from exposure following his long ordeal.

Crew Member Howard Bedford, who had received a blow on the head during the service, also attended hospital for a check up. Apart from a headache and bruising he was fit.

For this service the silver medal for gallantry was awarded to Coxswain Robert W. Allen and the bronze medal to Helmsman Richard M. K. Robinson.

The thanks for the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Second Coxswain/Motor Mechanic Peter N.

Thomson, Assistant Mechanic Dennis D. Carrick and Crew Members Howard Bedford, Raymond Dent, Thomas Hansell, David A. Wharton and J.

Anthony Easton. Medal service certificates were presented to crew members Michael R. Coates and Brian W.

Hodgson..