Two lifeboats capsize and right A DANISH CARGO VESSEL, Lone Diinia, in distress six miles north west of Skerryvore Lighthouse was reported by HM Coastguard to the honorary secretary of Barra Island lifeboat station at 2355 on Saturday November 17, 1979, and to the honorary secretary of Islay lifeboat station at 0015 on Sunday November 18. Lone Dania's cargo of marble chips had shifted causing a heavy list. Islay's 50ft Thames lifeboat Helmut Schroder of Dunlossit, under the command of Coxswain Alastair Campbell, slipped her moorings at 0035 and Barra's 52ft Barnett lifeboat R. A.

Colby Cubbin No. 3, under the command of Coxswain/Mechanic John Macneil, slipped her moorings at 0058. The weather at Castlebay, Barra, was so severe that two separate trips had to be made in the boarding boat to embark the crew of eight.

The wind was predominantly from the south west, veering to north west during the frequent heavy rain squalls which reduced visibility to no more than 15 to 20 yards. The wind strength varied from strong gale, force 9, to violent storm and hurricane, force 11 to 12, in the squalls; gusts of up to 59 knots were recorded at the meteorological office at Tiree Airport and of up to 65 knots at Benbecula Airport.

The swell was very high and the sea very rough and confused. Coxswain Macneil of Barra has said that the weather was as bad as he had experienced in 17 years in the lifeboat service and previously as a merchant seaman and deck officer sailing those same waters off the west coast of Scotland.

Once clear of her berth, Islay lifeboat made full speed on a northerly course to clear the Sound of Islay. The tide was two hours flood and running north through the sound at 4 knots. On approaching Rubha A'Mhail Lighthouse Coxswain Campbell left the upper conning position, checked that all equipment and hatches were secure and took the helm in the wheelhouse.

The full force of the very rough seas, storm force winds and heavy rain squalls was met as soon as the lifeboat cleared the lee of Islay. At 0058 coursewas changed to west by north to pass three miles south west of Oronsay before heading north for Skerryvore.

On approaching the shallower water between Oronsay and Islay speed was reduced to 10 knots because of severe pounding in the heavy south-westerly swell and very rough, confused seas.

The tide was now setting east north east at 2 knots.

At 0130 Islay lifeboat drove through a particularly large sea, falling about 25 feet into the following trough. Crew Member Iain Spears, who was standing and bracing himself in the after port corner of the wheelhouse, landed heavily on his right foot, twisting his ankle; it was found when he came ashore that the ankle was in fact broken. Shortly after this incident the seas eased slightly and, once Oronsay was abaft the starboard beam, Coxswain Campbell was able to increase speed to 12 knots.

Islay lifeboat was three miles south west of Oronsay when, at 0143, Coxswain Campbell momentarily saw a very steep breaking sea, about 30 feet high, on the starboard bow. The sea was at right angles to the general run of the seas (it was thought that it could have rebounded from the reef lying 1 '/2 miles south west of Oronsay) and it laid the lifeboat over 45 degrees to port.

The lifeboat momentarily hung in this position and then slid down the face of the approaching wave into a deep trough. The wave then broke aboard on the starboard side capsizing the lifeboat to port. The lifeboat 'settled' upside down for about five seconds before righting port side first. Afterwards, crew members commented on the gentleness of the capsize and righting motions and apart from Assistant Mechanic Norman Campbell, who suffered some bruising, there were no injuries. Once righted, the lifeboat cleared herself of water and the engines were found in gear but idling; the solenoid capsize 'switches' had operated correctly.

Coxswain Campbell immediately checked that all crew members were safe and Motor Mechanic Archibald Campbell returned both throttles to idling before operating the capsize cancel switch to restore wheelhouse control.

Coxswain Campbell then altered course to starboard to bring the wind and sea astern while the lifeboat was given an internal inspection for damage; he decided against sending any one on deck in the prevailing conditions to make an external inspection.

Only superficial internal damage was revealed.

It was at this time that the port throttle was found to be unresponsive and, although Motor Mechanic Archie Campbell and Assistant Mechanic Norman Campbell immediately went below to investigate, the violent motion and conditions in the engine room made it impossible for them to rectify the fault. It was also found that the radar and windscreen wipers were unserviceable, making visual navigation almost impossible. Having one engine out of action, no radar and very little vision, and knowing that Barra Island lifeboat was on her way to the casualty. Coxswain Campbell decided to return to station to effect repairs before continuing with the service. An easterly course was set, to give Post Rocks a wide berth, and a moderate speed maintained.

At 0212 Coxswain Campbell reported that the steering had jammed with 20 degrees of port helm on. Motor Mechanic Archie Campbell and Assistant Mechanic Norman Campbell went aft through the engine room emergency hatch and found that the locking bar for the oil drum stowage in the tiller flat had worked loose and jammed the steering in way of the port rudder crosshead. The bar was resecured and the coxswain informed by intercom from the after cabin. Course was then resumed to clear Rubha A'Mhail before turning south into Islay Sound at 0255.

Although the seas eased considerably once the lifeboat was under the lee of Islay, frequent heavy rain squalls, sometimes reducing visibility to a few yards, made the passage up the sound slow and difficult.

Islay lifeboat reberthed alongside the new ferry pier at Port Askaig at 0355 and, while Assistant Mechanic Norman Campbell and Crew Member Iain Spears received medical attention.

Coxswain Campbell and the other crew members began preparing the lifeboat for service again. It was then that the full damage sustained during the capsize was found, and it was also discovered that the liferaft was missing.

Meanwhile Barra lifeboat, which had set out at 0058, cleared Castlebay and then set course for Lone Dania, 37 miles away. Although the bearing was south by east. Coxswain Macneil steered south by west to make good his course, so that the wind was on the starboard beam while the sea and swell tended to be more on the starboard quarter. He expected to reach the casualty sometime after 0500. During the frequent heavy squalls the lifeboat's speed was reduced but at other times her full speed of about 9 knots was maintained.

At about 0346 Barra lifeboat was 11 miles south east of Barra Head Lighthouse, almost on the 100 fathom line which marks the eastern edge of one of the deep 'trenches' which exist in this area; it is an area where unusually heavy seas can be experienced. There was, however, a comparative lull between squalls at this time and the lifeboat was at full speed.

Coxswain Macneil had just lowered the port wheelhouse door window to have a look around and see if Skerryvore Light was visible over the port bow, when, while his head was still out of the window, the lifeboat seemed suddenly to pitch down by the bow andstart rolling to port all in the same instant, the whole port bow back to the anchor stowage dipping under the sea.

Glancing back over the starboard quarter he saw a breaking sea of between 30 to 40 feet towering over the boat. It seemed to present a vertical face of water. Before he could shout a warning the lifeboat slewed violently to starboard, broached and rolled over to port.

There was an immediate inrush of water into the wheelhouse and cabin.

The Barnett's emergency air-bag inflated, and the effect of the bag inflating together with the power engendered by the breaking sea rolled the boat straight through 360 degrees without pause, so that she righted almost instantly. Water almost filled the wheelhouse and after cabin, but it escaped relatively quickly.

Once the lifeboat had righted Coxswain Macneil's first recollection was of seeing the entire port side hinged window with its clear-view screen broken and forced outwards. Then, almost immediately, the port engine stalled followed closely by the star-board engine. The propellers had been fouled by the drogue with its ropes and securing line which had all been swept overboard, the synthetic drogue rope becoming compacted round the shafts.

Coxswain Macneil first made sure that all his crew were safe; slight head injuries had been suffered by four crew members, who were given first aid. The mizzen mast was damaged and the MF aerials had been carried away, but a six-inch stub of the VHP aerial remained and the coxswain had no difficulty in reporting to the Coastguard.

He then organised his crew into watches of two men who were detailed to try to free the ropes around the propellers. Although the boat remainedlying comparatively comfortably head to wind and weather, with the air-bag acting rather like a steadying sail, the constant movement made working in the after cockpit extremely difficult and they were unable to clear the propellers.

The coaster Sapphire, which was making for Lone Dania, was diverted to help Barra lifeboat and HMS Herald, a survey vessel, and an RN helicopter from Prestwick were asked to stand by.

At about 0730 Barra lifeboat fired a red flare to help Sapphire to find her and, with the aid of a cross-bearing from an Esso tanker in the area, the lifeboat's position was established as 16 miles bearing 117° from Barra Head Lighthouse. Sapphire arrived alongside at 0840 and after considerable difficulty a tow was connected. HMS Herald came up with Sapphire and her tow at 1030 and stood by until their arrival at Barra. At 1107 Coxswain Macneil decided that four of his crew should be sent ashore in the Sea King helicopter.

They were landed safely at Castlebay and examined by Barra honorary medical adviser before being sent home.

The helicopter then returned to Prestwick after refuelling at Tiree.

The tow parted at about 1200 but was successfully reconnected about threequarters of an hour later. At 1430 the Castlebay fishing boat Notre Dame met up with the tow off Barra. Because of the severe weather a landfall was made to the north and east of Castlebay and it was decided that the lifeboat should go direct to a convenient fish factory pier at North Bay, about nine miles north of Castlebay. Notre Dame took over the tow just outside the entrance to North Bay and, while Sapphire and HMS Herald returned to their respective passages, brought the lifeboat safely to a berth alongside the pier at 1540.

The remaining four members of the crew were taken by car to Castlebay where they were also checked by the HMA before returning home.

The casualty, Lone Dania, which had refused help from a helicopter, returned to Barra under escort of another Danish coaster just after 1100.

A generous donation to the RNLI was later received from her underwriters and owners.

Immediately following the return to station of Islay and Barra lifeboats the divisional inspector for lifeboats for South Scotland and his coast officials went to Islay, while the staff officer operations from HQ Poole, together with the district engineer and district surveyor of lifeboats for North Scotland and the electronics engineer (maintenance), went to Barra. With the able help of the lifeboatmen themselves, other branch members and local people, both lifeboats were repaired at station. Islay's 50ft Thames class lifeboat was back on restricted serviced by 1906 on Sunday November 18 and was placed on full service at 2100 on Friday November 23. Barra's 52ft BarnettBarnett lifeboat was placed on restricted service at 1800 on Wednesday November 21 and on full service at 1530 on Thursday November 22.

Both crews have expressed praise for the performance of their lifeboats..