Cargo vessel sinks HUMBER COASTGUARD informed Superintendent Coxswain Brian Bevan of Humber lifeboat station at 2357 on Tuesday February 13 that the Panamanian motor vessel Revi was in distress 30 miles north east of Spurn Light Vessel.

At 0015 on February 14 the 54ft Arun lifeboat City of Bradford IV slipped her moorings and set out at full speed.

The weather was cloudy with moderate visibility, except in snow storms.

A north-easterly gale was blowing, gusting to strong gale force 9 and increasing. The tide was five hours ebb.

By the time the lifeboat had cleared the river and was about two miles north east of Spurn Light Vessel she was heading into very large seas. She crested one and then crashed down some 15 to 20 feet so hard that the electricelectric breakers on all lights and window wipers opened. Speed was reduced to 14 knots in head seas which were now estimated to be 35ft high.

At 0107 Revi informed the British ship Deepstone, which was standing by, that she was slowly sinking and asked her master to stand in close to.

At this time Humber lifeboat still had eight miles to run. Three minutes later Revi informed all stations that she was going to increase speed to full and try to make the River Humber.

The lifeboat arrived 'on scene' at 0136 and took station close astern of Revi, which was steaming 6 knots on a course of 210°; she was being completely buried by heavy seas. The wind, recorded on the BP gas platform nearby, was now north east, storm force 10. It was exceptionally cold with intermittent snow showers.

At 0145, with Deepstone close to the east and Humber lifeboat close astern, the master of Revi said he was slowing down and asked that his two crew members be taken off. At first Coxswain Bevan thought this would be impossible and asked Revi to stop to see how she would behave. Stopped, she lay broadside to the weather with heavy seas breaking across her whole length, and the danger to survivors and crew members alike was so great that a rescue in that position had very little chance of success. Coxswain Bevan therefore instructed Revi to steer south at slow speed and to have the two men on the boat deck on her starboard quarter, ready to jump.

The lifeboat was fendered on the port shoulder and the crew fastened theirlifelines to the forward pulpit rails. Just as the lifeboat was edged in under Revi's starboard quarter a heavy breaking sea hit the casualty's port quarter, completely covering her stern. The lifeboat's engines were put full astern to clear Revi as she dropped menacingly down on to the lifeboat's foredeck. After a number of similar attempts with the casualty often rising 20 feet above the lifeboat's foredeck, the two crew members were taken off one at a time.

Revi's master hoped to continue to run for the River Humber, but only five minutes later he decided that, as the accommodation was flooding, he and the mate should abandon the vessel; with her cargo of silver sand shifting, she had a list of 45 degrees to port. The captain turned her bows west, giving a lee on the low port side. Preparing to take the two men off from the port quarter, the lifeboat's fenders were changed over—this with great difficulty in the prevailing violent storm—and the crew again made fast their lifelines to the pulpit rails. Revi was now settling by the head, while heavy seas swept clear across her full length as she lay broadside to the storm. As the lifeboat came alongside her heaving deck on the first approach a large wave broke right over both boats and swept the lifeboat away from the ship's side. The same thing happened again and again and it took about another twelve attempts before the lifeboat could be brought alongside at a moment when, there being a reasonable height between the two decks, a man was able to jump.

The mate jumped six feet into the arms of the lifeboat's crew who broke his fall and hurried him below.

Revi's bows were now almost submerged, No. 1 hatch was completely awash and the stern was clear of the water, poised dangerously above the lifeboat. The last survivor, the master, was hanging on to the outside of Revi's stern rails, ready to jump. On about the tenth attempt to get him off, as City of Bradford IV approached Revi's quarter, the stricken vessel's stern rose 20.feet in the air and began to crash down towards the lifeboat's foredeck where the crew were lashed to the rails with little or no chance of escape. Coxswain Bevan rammed the throttles full astern and the Arun's impressive power pulled her clear by only a matter of inches.

While the lifeboat was preparing for yet another approach, Revi was completely covered by three successive seas and the captain was feared lost.

However, when the water cleared he was seen still hanging on to the stern rails. With Revi now in immediate danger of rolling over, Coxswain Bevan decided on a dash in to the casualty in a trough between two waves.

The lifeboat was driven under the port quarter, striking the ship's stern, and the captain, the last man, jumped; he almost fell overboard but the crew justmanaged to hold on to him. It was 0233.

A few minutes later Revi rolled over and sank.

The survivors were landed at Grimsby and were taken to the Mission for Seamen. After some refreshment for the crew, Humber lifeboat sailed at 0609 to make the return passage to station.

At 0721, after refuelling and remooring, Humber lifeboat was reported 'ready for service'.

For this service the gold medal for outstanding courage was awarded to Superintendent Coxswain Brian W.

Be van. The bronze medal was awarded to Second Coxswain Dennis Bailey, Motor Mechanic Barry 'Bill' Sayers, Assistant Mechanic Ronald Sayers and Crew Members Michael B. Storey, Peter Jordan, Sydney Rollinson and Dennis Bailey, Jnr..