Coaster founders AN ICELANDIC COASTER, Tungufoss, in distress four miles south of Longships Lighthouse, was reported by Land's End Coastguard to the deputy launching authority of Sennen Cove lifeboatstation at 2027 on Saturday September 19, 1981; the coaster was heeled over and there were 11 men on board.

Maroons were fired at 2035 and ten minutes later Sennen's 37ft 6in Rother lifeboat Diana While launched on service under the command of Coxswain/ Mechanic Maurice Hutchens. A period of prolonged heavy rain had ended within the past hour, leaving in its wake heavy squalls carried along by the gale to strong gale, force 8 to 9, blowing from west south west. It was a moonlit night, however, and between the squalls visibility was good. The seas and the swell were heavy and it was one hour before high water, three days after spring tides.

When the wind is from the south west, Sennen Cove lifeboat slipway is given a little protection by a short pier, but at the time of launching each swell was being thrown skywards as it hit the pier and passed over it. Some of this water was carried by the wind to fall as very heavy spray. Once launched, the lifeboat's first leg, parallel to the beach, was down wind, but severe motion was experienced as the boat turned to port and steamed at full speed across the wind making her seaward course down the leading marks.

After rounding Cowloe Rocks, a south-westerly course was set and as soon as Land's End was cleared Tungufoss could be seen. Her lights were still on and two other vessels, the coaster Kilkenny and the Norwegian tanker Fiordshell, were standing by.

The Sea King helicopter scrambled from RNAS Culdrose arrived over the casualty at 2117 and, flying at 100 feet with the wind averaging 55 to 60 knotsbut gusting to 70 knots, she started the difficult and hazardous task of trying to lift off the crew from the coaster's stern.

Although the helicopter's winchman was injured while bringing up his first survivor, two more men were picked up by flying the strop into the hands of the men waiting on the casualty.

When the lifeboat arrived, at 2139, she found Tungufoss, whose cargo of maize had shifted, heeled some 45 degrees to port and lying on a northeasterly heading. Coxswain Hutchens took his lifeboat round the coaster to assess the situation, first going to leeward along her starboard side, then round her bows and back down her port side. Two liferafts were seen lashed together with one made fast to the casualty's stern; they were lying to starboard across the wind and sea. While manoeuvring to approach these liferafts the stern of the lifeboat was overwhelmed by a wave which washed through her cockpit, putting the radar out of action.

Coxswain Hutchens' first attempts to approach the liferafts were unsuccessful and each time he had to go astern to prevent the lifeboat being carried dangerously close to the coaster's starboard quarter and propeller. Then.

coming in from a different angle and keeping the lifeboat's bows to the wind and sea. Coxswain Hutchens succeeded in making a satisfactory approach and he let the waiting crew aboard Tungufoss know that he was ready to take them off.

The crew were assembled in the outside alleyway on the starboard quarter.

A man jumped into the first liferaft. His companions slackened the painter of the rafts to allow them to ride clear of the stern. The lifeboat came in and snatched the man from the rafts. The rafts were then pulled back to the coaster's stern. In this way three men weresuccessfully taken aboard the lifeboat, but the liferafts were full of water and, with fewer men to help each time, the task of heaving them back to the stern became increasingly difficult. Two men tried to leap into trie rafts, missed their footing and fell into the sea. The lights of the casualty herself had just gone out but, aided by the lights of the helicopter.

Coxswain Hutchens was able to drop down wind and retrieve both men from the water.

There were still three men on Tungufoss, which had now taken a list of 60 degrees. Coxswain Hutchens brought the lifeboat close in to the transom of the casualty using great skill in avoiding the rudder as the lifeboat rose and fell 20 feet on the seas. One of the men slid down from the starboard alleyway, where he had been standing on the casing, and jumped on to the foredeck of the lifeboat to be received by her crew.

A second man was taken off in the same manner as the lifeboat made another run in to the coaster's transom. All together the lifeboat had made about 20 approaches to the casualty as she heeled over further and further.

By now the coaster was almost on her beam ends and as Coxswain Hutchens started his final approach the last man aboard, the master, climbed clear of the superstructure. It looked as though the vessel was about to founder and the Sea King helicopter, moving in ahead of the lifeboat, flew her lifting strop within reach of the waiting master; he managed to grab it and was lifted clear as the sea started to engulf him.

It was now confirmed that all 11 men who had been aboard Tungufoss were safe and at 2303 the lifeboat began her return passage to Sennen Cove.

Although Longships Lighthouse and the lights of Land's End Hotel were both visible. Coxswain Hutchens set a course east north east to sight the loom of the land and to avoid the greatest effects of the tide. While heading in through the quartering sea a check was made to make sure that none of the survivors needed first aid; with their chief officer translating, it was found that all was well.

Having established his position from the land, Coxswain Hutchens shaped his course to the north and, despite very long following seas experienced in the gap between Longships and Land's End, he made a good passage arriving on the slipway at 2315. After refuelling and an inspection of the slight damage incurred, the lifeboat was once again ready for service at 0015 on Sunday September 20.

Tungufoss was reported later to have sunk 2'/2 miles south of Gwennap Head.

Both the high degree of co-ordination between the helicopter and the lifeboat crews and also the fine discipline shown by those who were rescued contributed to the successful completion of this operation, despite the severe conditions, in the limited time available. The master, chief officer and some of the crewof the coaster came down to the lifeboathouse the next day to thank the coxswain and crew personally and a telegram of thanks to all who had taken part in the rescue was received from the Iceland Steamship Company. In a letter to the RNLI, Mr G. Fridriksson, director of the National Lifesaving Association of Iceland, wrote: 'The whole Icelandic people is full of admiration for the heroic and daring rescue action by which the lives of the Tungufoss crew were so miraculously saved, and we are all deeplv grateful to the helicopter and lifeboat crews who, at the risk of their own lives, participated in the operation.

'On behalf of the Icelandic National Lifesaving Association I would like YOU to convey our deepfelt thanks to all those who made the rescue possible.' For this service the silver medal for gallantry was awarded to Coxswain/ Mechanic Maurice Hutchens and medal service certificates were presented to Second Coxswain John Fender and Crew Members Cedric V. Johnson, Timothy M. George, Derek Angove, Phillip C. Shannon and Terence W.

Greene. A letter signed by Rear Admiral W. J. Graham, director of the Institution, and addressed to Captain R. C.

Dimmock, the commanding officer of the Royal Naval Air Station. Culdrose, expressed the RNLI's appreciation to the helicopter pilot and his crew. (See also page 39.).