Storm search BRIXHAM COASTGUARD asked the honorary secretary of St Peter Port lifeboat station at 2030 on Thursday January 4 to put the lifeboat on stand by for MV Cantonad, a 2,200 ton Greek freighter with a crew of 16, reported listing heavily about four miles south of the Channel Light Vessel.

The crew were assembled; then came the request to launch. At 2109 StPeter Port's 52ft Arun lifeboat Sir William Arnold slipped from her moorings and set out at full speed. She had 31 miles to go to the reported position and this became 38 miles eventually, due to the casualty's set and drift.

The wind was east north east, gale to hurricane force 8 to 12, and remained so for the entire 12 hours of this service, with poor visibility and snow showers. It had been blowing from the east at gale to storm force since the previous day. It was now two hours before high water and the lifeboat encountered rough seas as soon as she left harbour.

Within 15 minutes, as the lee of Herm was cleared, the liferaft broke adrift from its stowage on the foredeck and Coxswain John Petit turned stern to sea for it to be resecured. As the after door was opened a sea broke over the after deck and entered the cabin, so that the crew had to suffer wet conditions almost from the outset. Messages relayed from St Peter Port were now indicating that the casualty's plight was worsening and so Coxswain Petit resumed course as rapidly as possible and continued at full speed of 19 knots in spite of the steadily increasing sea.

Two helicopters had been 'scrambled' and another vessel was also on her way to help. At 2244 this vessel reported that Cantonad had now disappeared from her radar screen in position 49°54'N, 03°05'w. The lifeboat duly altered course for this position.

Soon after 2300, Coxswain Petit turned in the helmsman's seat to speak to the radar operator, behind him on his starboard hand. At the same moment an exceptional sea broke just forward of the starboard beam. The lifeboat was rolled about 45 degrees to port and fell down the opposite side of the wave.

The coxswain was thrown out of his seat into the port after corner of the wheelhouse, striking his head on the fire extinguisher, which knocked him unconscious for a few moments and activated the extinguisher. Crew Member John Robilliard was also thrown across the wheelhouse. cracking two of his ribs.

At 2351 the helicopters were sighted by the lifeboat and one of them reported that they were having extreme difficulty because survivors could not get into the strop. The lifeboat replied that she was making best speed to assist. The helicopter then dropped smoke floats to mark the search area for the lifeboat and said that the other helicopter had now departed for Berry Head with one survivor picked up from a liferaft at 0011. Eight minutes later the lifeboat sighted two bodies and, after extreme difficulty, three crew members managed to get them aboard.

The lifeboat searched in co-operation with the helicopter until it was apparent that there was no further hope. At 0400 the lifeboat reported that conditions were now so bad that it had become impossible to search upwind at all. ANimrod aircraft had joined the search and dropped flares for the helicopters until about 0520. The helicopters then left to return to Culdrose and the lifeboat was recalled to station ten minutes later.

As the lifeboat set course for home, with the wind now on her port bow, progress was limited to six knots by phenomenal seas so that St Peter Port was not finally reached until 0900. The lifeboat was refuelled and returned to her moorings at 1000.

For this service a third bar to his bronze medal has been awarded to Coxswain John H. Petit. Medal service certificates were presented to Acting Second Coxswain Robert Hamon, Motor Mechanic Eric C. Pattimore, Assistant Mechanic Robert Vowles and Crew Members John H. Robilliard and Graham Eker..