Prince Ivanhoe THE PLEASURE STEAMER Prince Ivanhoe with a crew of 18 and 450 passengers was on a cruise from Minehead to the Welsh Coast on Monday August 3, 1981, when, at 1536. she struck anunderwater obstruction off Port Eynon.

The vessel immediately began to make water, so her captain decided that the best course of action would be to beach her on the gently sloping sandbottomed beach off Horton. This manoeuvre was successfully negotiated and the vessel was grounded 100 yards from the water's edge. It was a calm day with light north-westerly airs; high water would be at 2123.

The station honorary secretaries of The Mumbles, Tenby and Horton and Port Eynon lifeboat stations were all informed during the next ten minutes.

From The Mumbles, the 47ft Watson lifeboat Pentland (Civil Service No. 31) and the D class inflatable were both launched at 1551; Tenby's 46ft 9in Watson lifeboat Henrv Comber Brown launched at 1556; and Horton and Port Eynon D class inflatable launched at 1558.

Horton and Port Eynon lifeboat manned by the Honorary Secretary Walter Grove and Crew Member Christopher Talbot came alongside Prince Ivanhoe at 1600 and Walter Grove went aboard to discuss the rescue operation with the captain. He found that all the passengers were equipped with lifejackets and that ship's lifeboats and liferafts were prepared and ready for use. A number of small commercial pleasure boats were also at hand and they helped with the landing operation.

Landing quickly began, Horton and Port Eynon lifeboat towing liferafts and ship's lifeboats ashore as well as ferrying passengers. In a little under two hours it was estimated that she had landed 123 passengers.

The Mumbles D class inflatable lifeboat manned by Helmsman Anthony Lewis and Crew Member Michael Blewett arrived at 1616 and, ferrying passengers and towing liferafts, landed 75 people. Helmsman Lewis boarded Prince Ivanhoe to help organise the evacuation of passengers during the later stages when the tide was rising dangerously close to deck level.

When The Mumbles 47ft Watson Pentland under the command of Coxswain Derek Scott arrived at 1655 most passengers were safely ashore, and the lifeboat moored alongside the port side of Prince Ivanhoe. While alongside it was learned that a passenger, now ashore, had suffered a heart attack. Dr P. Lloyd-Jones, the honorary medical adviser who was in the crew, was taken ashore in the inflatable lifeboat to attend the patient. The sick man, together with Dr Lloyd-Jones, was transferred to hospital by RAF helicopter, but unfortunately his life could not be saved. Dr Lloyd-Jones was brought back by helicopter and winched down to the lifeboat to give further help.

Pentland remained alongside Prince Ivanhoe and the crew helped in retrieving her valuable navigational equipment, bonded stores and ship's papers.

At 1900 the remaining crew fromPrince Ivanhoe were taken aboard Pentland, the inflatable liferafts and ship's lifeboats were taken in tow and passage began back to The Mumbles. Both Mumbles lifeboats, which between them had landed 93 people, arrived station at 2127. Horton and Port Eynon D class inflatable lifeboat, which from 1800 had been manned by Helmsman Lawrence Grove and Crew Members Stephen Sullivan and Keith Moffat, had returned to station at 1935 taking ashore Prince Ivanhoe's captain and one of her crew. Tenby lifeboat, coming from 20 miles to the west under the command of Coxswain Joshua Richards, had been recalled by the Coastguard when it was apparent everyone could be taken off Prince Ivanhoe safely by the other boats.

For this service, letters of appreciation of the service given by the various lifeboats and signed by Rear Admiral W. J. Graham, director of the Institution, were sent to Mr J. W. Grove, honorary secretary of Horton and Port Eynon lifeboat station and to Mr E. G.

Beynon, honorary secretary of The Mumbles. A special letter of appreciation signed by Professor Sir George Smart, chairman of the RNLI's Medical and Survival Committee, was sent to Dr P. Lloyd-Jones, HMA of The Mumbles..