Fishing boat capsized A TELEPHONE CALL was received by the honorary secretary of Penarth lifeboat station at 1311 on Friday September 18, 1981, from The Mumbles Coastguard requesting the launch of the lifeboat: a message had come on VHP Channel 16 from the sand dredger Bowqueen reporting the sighting of two people clinging to an upturned boat (later found to be an 18ft GRP fishing boat) half a mile west of Ranie Buoy off Lavernock Point. Maroons were fired and at 1321 Penarth's D class inflatable lifeboat was launched manned by Helmsman Callum Couper and Crew Members Robert Ryan and Michael Hill.

It was an overcast afternoon, but clear, and a fresh breeze, force 5, was blowing from the south west. It was nearly three hours after high water.

The passage south to Ranie Buoy, in sheltered waters, was made at full speed. At the Ranie, however, the sea state was more severe, with wind against tide causing a rough, confused sea. Speed was reduced to enable a proper lookout to be maintained and to ensure that no unnecessary stress wasplaced on either the boat or the crew.

While searching off the Ranie, the lifeboat was told by the Coastguard that Bowqueen was alongside the casualty.

The sand dredger was sighted about two miles to the south west; course was set for her and despite the moderate to rough short, steep head seas, up to five feet high, full speed was maintained throughout the passage.

When the lifeboat arrived at the casualty she found that there had in fact been three men aboard the fishing boat.

Bowqueen had recovered one of them but the other two men, too cold to help themselves, were clinging on, head and shoulders above water, to a safety net which had been hung down over Bowqueen's port side.

Bowqueen was stopped in the water heading east north east so that, as the lifeboat came alongside the safety net, she was in the sand dredger's lee. The two survivors were extricated from the net, not without difficulty, and taken on board the lifeboat. Each was helped into a survivor's lifejacket, positioned low in the boat and covered with an exposure sheet to prevent further heat loss.

Helmsman Couper was intending toland the two fishermen on Sully Beach, to the north, but while on the way there a helicopter from RAF Chivenor arrived overhead. While Helmsman Couper maintained steerage way into the wind, the two men were quickly lifted into the helicopter. The third man was lifted off Bowqueen and all three were landed at Cardiff Royal Infirmary.

The rescue completed, Penarth D class lifeboat returned to station at full speed, but giving the confused waters of Ranie Race a wide berth. She arrived at 1400 and a quarter of an hour later had been refuelled, washed down and rehoused ready once again for service.

For this service letters of appreciation signed by Cdr Bruce Cairns, chief of operations, were sent to Helmsman Callum Couper and Crew Members Robert Ryan and Michael Hill..