Twenty rescued CAPE COAST, a 2,650 ton Panamanian cargo vessel, broadcast on Channel 16 VHP at 0327 on Wednesday January 10 that she was in distress and taking water in her engine room; she was 2.2 miles from Nab Tower on a bearing of 121°. HMS Eskimo was in the vicinity, heard the broadcast and reported that she was making for the casualty at best possible speed. Cape Coast then sent a second radio message saying that she had an increasing list to starboard and that there were 20 people on board.

A mayday relay was sent out at 0335 which was answered by a French vessel, Montlhery; she reported that she was 3.6 miles from the casualty and making for her. Selsey lifeboat was placed on stand by.

Twenty minutes later Cape Coast reported that, as her anchor was not holding in the southerly storm force 10 winds and she was drifting, she intended to put a liferaft over the side for her crew to abandon ship. In view of the extremely severe sea conditions and the darkness, however, HMS Eskimo, assigned the duties of on scene commander, advised her not to attempt either to launch a liferaft or to abandon ship.

At 0400 Eskimo reported that the sea conditions were so severe that she could not launch her seaboat and asked for the help of a lifeboat. Shoreham Coastguard telephoned the honorary secretary of Selsey lifeboat station and at 0410 Selsey's 48ft 6in Oakley Charles Henry launched down her slipway into a southerly wind recorded on the lifeboat station anemometer as 63 knots (violent storm, force 11) giving very rough seas and heavy swell. It was one hour after high water on a bitterly cold morning.

Coxswain Michael Grant cleared the slipway and reduced speed to allow the crew to ship the VHP and radar aerials.

Once this task, made very difficult by the rough sea and strong wind, was completed Coxswain Grant ordered all his crew into the wheelhouse and set a course of 175° to clear the Mixon rocks at best possible speed. The Mixon, not sighted except by radar because of the severe weather, was cleared at 0425 and a course of 255° set to pass through.