Twenty-six rescued HM COASTGUARD at Shoreham MRSC telephoned the honorary secretary of Shoreham Harbour lifeboat station at 0817 on Monday January 21 asking that the lifeboat be placed on standby; a merchant vessel, the 3,500-ton Greek freighter Athina B, loaded with pumice from the Azores and bound for Shoreham, was in difficulties some mile and a half off the harbour.

A strong gale, force 9, was blowing from the south east giving a very rough sea and heavy swell. Visibility, generally good, was reduced to poor in rain squalls. It was low water with the tide setting east north east at one knot and there was some 8 foot of water over the harbour bar.

Annual clearing of the shingle from the lifeboat slipway toe was in progress, so the 42ft Watson Dorothy and Philip Constant was lying afloat.

At 0827 Athina B asked for lifeboat assistance, the maroons were fired and at 0840 Dorothy and Philip Constant, under the command of Coxswain Kenneth Voice, slipped her temporary moorings and headed across the bar and out of harbour at half speed.

Once over the bar, speed was increased to full and by 0848 the lifeboat was off the casualty. Athina B was lying head to wind almost beam on to the tide and seas with her anchor out and her engines going slow ahead. Seas were breaking continuously over her starboard side and, with a draught of some 19 feet, she was alternately taking the ground and floating.

Coxswain Voice had the lifeboat bows heavily fendered; he then ordered his crew to the port side of the deck before going alongside the port side of the casualty, keeping the lifeboat's stern clear to prevent rudder damage.

Continually manoeuvering forward and astern, Coxswain Voice managed to maintain station despite the very rough seas which were carrying the lifeboat some 15 feet up and down the freighter's side. With excellent timing, the deck crew managed to snatch the captain's wife, young daughter and sixyear- old child from Athina B's side deck on to the lifeboat. Nobody else could at that time be persuaded to leave, so the lifeboat steamed clear.

By now the wind had increased to storm force 10, still from the south east, and the very rough seas had risen to 20 feet high with spray reducing visibility.Following radio discussions with the casualty, it was agreed that another attempt should be made to take off the remaining woman and anybody else wanting to leave the ship. The lifeboat was moving into position for a second run in when she was picked up and overwhelmed by a very large wave which flooded the cockpit, breaking three guardrail stanchions with its force.

While the cockpit drained through the scuppers, the lifeboat was successfully brought alongside the ship's port side but before anyone could be transferred she was again lifted bodily by a huge wave and her bows came crashing down on to the ship's gunwale. She pulled clear and came alongside Athina B's port side amidships where one woman was safely taken off on to the lifeboat. It was now about 0910.

By 0930 Coxswain Voice was becoming concerned about the health of the second woman survivor, who was suffering from shock, seasickness and hypothermia. Motor Mechanic Jack Silverson, a first aider, had wrapped her in blankets and reassured her but he thought she should have medical treatment as soon as possible. So the lifeboat made for Shoreham, asking to be met on arrival by an ambulance.

Ten minutes later, with drogue streamed, the lifeboat was picked up by a large sea just off the harbour entrance; she was pooped and took a sheer hard aport. However, the drogue quickly brought the stern round to the sea, the freeing ports rapidly drained the cockpit and without further incident the lifeboat entered harbour to land the four survivors. One crew member was also landed while two extra crew members were embarked before the lifeboat left harbour again at 1022 to return to the casualty.

By 1032 Shoreham lifeboat was once again off Athina B and Coxswain Voice asked that her crew should be ready on deck wearing lifejackets before he started the run in. The freighter had swung round and was heading south south west, so Coxswain Voice decided to go alongside her starboard side where there was some lee from the storm even though waves were now breaking over the freighter from the south east.

Coxswain Voice manoeuvred the lifeboat alongside Athina B amidships where, despite the violent pitching, good station was maintained while 11 of the crew jumped into the waiting arms of the lifeboat crew.

By now, 1052, the Newhaven tug Meeching had arrived and, as the master of Athina B, who was in communication with the tugmaster, told the lifeboat that he wished to keep the remaining crew on board, Coxswain Voice set course for Shoreham to land the 11 survivors. Again the drogue was streamed entering harbour as there was no abatement of the storm.

After the survivors had been landed, at 1125, the damage to the lifeboat was inspected by the district surveyor of lifeboats (SE), who had come from Osborne's boatyard at Littlehampton.

Damage was found to be basically superficial and at 1140 the lifeboat returned to sea to stand by Athina B. By 1219, however, the freighter had refloated and was out of immediate danger and as at that time none of her remaining crew wanted to abandon her and she was close to Shoreham Harbour, it was agreed that the lifeboat should return to station and stand by there.

After another run into harbour with the drogue streamed, the crew returned home for dry clothes and food, to remuster at 1500. Then, at near high water, Dorothy and Philip Constant was hauled up into the boathouse so Athina B after she had finally been driven ashore on Brighton Beach. The entrance tothat her hull could be inspected more thoroughly. No serious damage was found and she was returned to her temporary mooring where her stanchions were repaired. It was expected that she would be needed again as Athina B, which was attempting to claw off the shore, had radioed that she had only enough fuel for three more hours, but in the meantime the crew dispersed to stand by at their own homes.

At 2015 Shoreham Coastguard asked that the crew be reassembled and half an hour later Athina B, now half a mile south west of Brighton Marina, put out a mayday distress call asking for lifeboat assistance. Dorothy and Philip Constant, after crossing the bar, set a south-easterly course for this new position at full speed.

The tide was again near low water and setting east north east at one knot.

The wind had veered to the south west and eased slightly to gale force 8 to 9.

Visibility was good.

At 2050 the launch of Newhaven lifeboat was requested by the Coastguard and at 2105 the 44ft Waveney Louis Marches! of Round Table slipped her moorings with Coxswain/Mechanic Leonard Patten in command. Once clear of the very rough seas at the entrance to Newhaven Harbour she set out to the west at 10 knots. Before long, however, she had to reduce speed when a large sea hit her, spinning her through 90 degrees. Course was resumed at 8 knots but at 2115 a sea about 15 to 20 feet high hit the lifeboat which corkscrewed up the side of the wave, then lay over on her beam ends.

The capsize lights operated as she was laid over with the wheelhouse flooded, but the capsize switches were cancelled and the lifeboat resumed her westerly heading. One crew member washed overside but still attached by his lifeline was brought back inboard and Second Coxswain Alan Boyle was given first aid for a head wound he had sustained.

Newhaven lifeboat continued westward for a further three miles until, at 2145, Shoreham Coastguard told her that everyone had been rescued from Athina B, whereupon she returned to station. She arrived at 2230 and Second Coxswain Boyle was taken to hospital for medical treatment.

Meanwhile, at 2109, Athina B reported that she was lying beam to the seas, her no. 1 hatch cover was stove in, and she was unable to get crew forward to let go the anchor as she was being swept overall by seas and spray.

Coxswain Voice asked her to identify herself by switching on her decklights.

This she did and when Shoreham lifeboat was abeam Brighton Palace Pier, at 2135, the casualty could be seen by the lifeboat crew.

The south-westerly wind had arisen once more to strong gale, force 9. gusting to storm, force 10. Shoreham lifeboat continued her passage towards Brighton Marina in the very rough fol-lowing and quartering seas, some of which filled the cockpit. Athina B was found heading east north east with seas breaking over her but well aground in heavy surf some 250 yards off the beach and about 400 yards east of the Palace Pier.

Coxswain Voice approached the casualty in the surf at slow speed, illuminating her with a parachute flare.

Once abreast of Athina B's stern he started to put on port helm to bring the lifeboat along her lee side, but the lifeboat was suddenly hit by a large sea on the port quarter which picked her up and turned her through 90 degrees so that she was heading straight for Athina B's quarter and being swept inshore.

Coxswain Voice increased speed to full on both engines but in the surf this had less than the usual effect and it was impossible to prevent the stern of the lifeboat hitting the starboard quarter of Athina B and scraping down her starboard side until just forward of her bridge.

While the lifeboat was ranging some 12 to 15 feet up and down Athina B's side, ten of her crew threw themselves and their suitcases at the lifeboat's deck, where the lifeboatmen were waiting to catch them. It was thought that this accounted for the entire's ship complement until another man was seen standing on the bridge. He was finally persuaded to climb down from the bridge, but mistimed his jump and landed in the water close to the lifeboat's port quarter. Coxswain Voice immediately stopped the port propeller and put the starboard engine to ahead to prevent the man being crushed between the two boats. Second Coxswain Kenneth Everard helped by Assistant Mechanic Michal Fox and Emergency Mechanic Geoff Tugwell quickly pulled the last survivor out ofthe water to safety. It was now 2141.

The lifeboat rounded Athina B's bows, cleared the Palace Pier and set course for Shoreham. She entered harbour with her drogue streamed at 2245.

The 11 survivors were landed and taken into council care while crew members made the lifeboat ready for service; she was back on her temporary moorings at 2350. In all, 26 people had been rescued.

For this service the silver medal was awarded to Coxswain Kenneth F. D.

Voice of Shoreham Harbour and the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Second Coxswain Kenneth L. Everard. Motor Mechanic Jack Silverson. Assistant Mechanic Michael J. Fox. Emergency Mechanics Geoff Tugwell and John Landale and Crew Member Peter R.

Huxtable. Letters of appreciation signed by Rear Admiral W. J. Graham, director of the Institution, were sent to Crew Members Peter Everard and Derek J. Silverson. who were aboard for only part of these services..