Radio ship aground WHILE HER CREW were still on board after returning from a rough weather exercise on Wednesday March 19, Sheerness lifeboat received a VHP call at 1753 from Thames Coastguard telling them that the radio ship Mi Amigo had dragged her anchor to a position three cables north west of NW Long Sand Beacon, 24 miles east north east of the station, and might need help. The honorary secretary was informed.

At 1815 Thames Coastguard asked the lifeboat to launch and a minute later the 44ft Waveney class lifeboat Helen Turnbull under the command of Coxswain/ Mechanic Charles Bowry slipped her moorings and set out down the Medway approach channel to Oaze Deep at full speed.

The evening was overcast with fair visibility. There was a strong gale, force 9, blowing from the east and once clear of the harbour the lifeboat met rough breaking seas. It was four hours before high water.

When just north of Shivering Sands Tower, at 1855, speed had to be reduced to two thirds because the lifeboat was shipping water and pounding heavily in the very rough, short head seas. Visibility from the wheelhouse was almost nil through the shipped seas and continuous spray, while sea clutter made the radar difficult to read. Lookouts were posted port and starboard aft of the wheelhouse to confirm the characteristics of the buoys passed and a further check on position was relayed from the Port of London Authority radar at Warden Point.

At 2010 the lifeboat was off NE Shingles Buoy and speed was further reduced to confirm position before starting to cross into Black Deep at half speed. A quarter of an hour later the lifeboat was off No. 12 Black Deep Buoy and the casualty could be seen on Long Sand shoal; VHP contact was made with Mi Amiga on channel 6.

Mi Amiga was between two and three cables north north west of NW Long Sand Beacon, her anchor streamed to the north east and her bow also north east. She reported to the lifeboat that she was aground and was trying to get some pumps working; there were four people on board, allwearing lifejackets. Seas were breaking right over the ship and Coxswain Bowry estimated that she was in about two feet of water; Thames Coastguard further estimated that she would be afloat at about 2315 and Coxswain Bowry decided to maintain position in Black Deep between No. 10 and 12 Buoys; minimum revolutions were kept on the engines to reduce the rolling and violent pounding of the lifeboat in the very heavy seas.

The easterly gale was still force 9, gusting to storm force 10, and very rough, short breaking seas were building up; they could be seen peaking and becoming confused as they met the edge of Long Sand Bank.

At 2236 Mi Amiga called to say that she was now afloat but could still not start her pumps. Coxswain Bowry decided to close and began to crab in from the north west trying to keep head to sea, with Second Coxswain Arthur Lukey calling out depths from the echo sounder and another crew member on the radar giving distances off so that the coxswain could concentrate on handling his boat in the breaking seas.At 2305 the lifeboat was about two lengths astern of Mi Amiga's port quarter and the radio ship could be seen to be pitching and rolling heavily and shipping seas overall. The lifeboat herself was rolling heavily in the confused seas and putting her side decks under.

Coxswain Bowry urged the casualty's crew to abandon before their ship either sank or parted her anchor cable, but they did not realise the danger. It was only when they asked for their gear to be taken off and the lifeboat approached so that she could be seen at one moment 20 feet below them on deck and then as much above them that the danger was appreciated. They asked to be taken off at 2350.

The lifeboat dropped back to 100 feet off Mi Amiga's starboard quarter and as the confused seas gave no lee on either side Coxswain Bowry decided to try to come in on her starboard side where some rubber tyres would act as fenders. He told the four men to gather just aft of midships. Second Coxswain Lukey and three other crew members lashed themselves inside the forward guardrails with their safety lines while the last crew member stood betweenthe wheelhouse and the rails on the port side to hand the survivors aft.

Coxswain Bowry then tried to approach so that the lifeboat would come alongside between the peaks; three attempts were made and had to be abandoned as the lifeboat was in danger of being landed on the casualty's decks, but a fourth attempt was successful. One of the survivors was plucked off, then full helm and engines had to be used to take the lifeboat clear before the casualty's counter stern slammed down on her.

Another four unsuccessful attempts were made before the lifeboat again managed to close Mi Amiga and a second of her crew could be pulled aboard.

Then a third member of her crew ran down the deck with a canary in a cage and jumped aboard. His action caught everyone unprepared and the lifeboat could not get clear in time; she was caught by the next sea and flung against the ship's side. Luckily the crew member by the wheelhouse managed to jump clear and avoid injury.

Three more attempts were made to take off the last survivor, who could be seen clinging to a stanchion as waves swept the vessel, but without success.

Then, on the fourth run in, at 0025, he was safely pulled aboard the lifeboat.

The lifeboat was quickly taken into deep water and time spent retuning the radar and obtaining an exact position before course was set for Sheerness at 0040. Passage was made as fast as possible in the prevailing weather and the lifeboat arrived at 0300. She was refuelled and once again ready for service at 0340.

For this service the silver medal was awarded to Coxswain/Mechanic Charles H. Bowry. The thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Second Coxswain Arthur C. Lukey, Assistant Mechanic Roderick M. Underhill and Crew Members Malcolm E. Keen, Ian J.

McCourt and William L. Edwards..