Ferry collision HARWICH HARBOUR RADIO received a call at 2251 on Sunday December 19, 1982, from the outward bound roll-on roll-off ferry European Gateway reporting that she was in collision with the inward bound ferry Speedlink Vanguard in position 51°56.3'N, 1°23.3'E, near Cork Spit Buoy off Felixstowe. Immediate help was needed. The duty operations room officer immediately put into action the Harwich combined accident procedure, broadcasting on Channel 14 VHP for urgent assistance from all available craft and, as deputy launching authority of Harwich lifeboat station, calling out the lifeboat crew.

European Gateway, which wasloaded with lorries, reported a heavy and increasing starboard list. Speedlink Vanguard, with a damaged bow, was hove-to to the north-east of the collision position and required no assistance.

It was a fine night but a near gale, force 7, gusting to gale force 8, was blowing from the south west. It was about three hours before high water and with the tide flowing south south west, against the wind, the seas were steep and heavy.

By 2300, Harwich's 44ft Waveney lifeboat John Fison, under the command of Coxswain/Mechanic Peter Burwood, and the tugs Sauria, Alfred and Ganges had set out from Harwich, while the dock tugs Gary Gray and Gray Delta had set out from Felixstowe. all at full speed.

The Trinity House pilot vessel Patrol, a 52ft Halmatic Arun hull powered by twin 600hp MAN engines giving a speed of 20'/2 knots, had also cleared her Harwich berth and was on her way at full speed with her standard crew of two men; she was under the command of Second Officer Michael Wright.

Meanwhile, at 2255, the Trinity House pilot vessel Valour, a 40ft Keith Nelson boat powered by twin Cummins engines giving a speed of 17 knots, with a crew of two, was approaching the inward bound ferry Dana Futura to ship a pilot. On hearing the call for help, the pilot was shipped and Valour, under the command of Petty Officer Coxswain Kenneth Lee, drove at full speed over the eight cables distance to the position of the collision.

Dana Futura, under advice of Trinity House Senior Pilot F. Martin, was taken within two cables (about 400 yards) east of European Gateway and, assuming the responsibility of 'on scene commander', was for the next three hours held in that position ready to take on board survivors picked up by the smaller rescue boats.

Valour reached European Gateway at 2303. Rounding the stern of the casualty, which was already heeled to 45 degrees, the Trinity House launch approached her midships section in way of her No 3 lifeboat where men could be seen holding on to athwartships rails.

The first attempt to come in bow first to the ship's lifeboat was unsuccessful because of the strength of the cross tide.

Rounding to starboard Petty Officer Coxswain Lee tried the same manoeuvre a second time but once again it proved fruitless. So, instructing his crew member, Seaman Barry Warner, to leave the foredeck, he turned Valour short round and drove astern against the No 3 boat. Throughout this time European Gateway was heeling further to starboard; cargo and fittings were breaking loose within and on the ship and flotsam of all types fouled the water. At 2308 all the ferry's lights went out.

European Gateway's No 3 lifeboat was fully afloat but secured in her davits as the Trinity House vessel pinned her to the ferry's side; using this boat as a bridge, in about one minute 28 men scrambled aboard Valour over the launch's stern. Such was the number of people now on board the launch that her coxswain's vision was completely blocked. As he started to clear the ferry, European Gateway took a final lurch to settle aground on her starboard side, the movement causing three more people at the ship's No 1 lifeboat to fall into the sea.

Petty Officer Coxswain Lee expertly manoeuvred Valour stern first into the tide. He then operated his engines under the guidance of Seaman Warner who passed a lifebuoy and line to one of 'the people in the water and recovered him over the stern. The lifebuoy was then thrown to the other two men.

Because of the noise within the ship and the nearness of the overhanging superstructure.

Petty Officer Coxswain Lee withdrew Valour to a safe distance while Seaman Warner lay over the stern towing the two men; he then recovered them one at a time, helped by survivors already on board.

At slow speed in the heavy seas, Valour made for Dana Futura's starboard side where, at 2324, 30 survivors were transferred safely through the door on her lee side. Luckily the ferry was deeper laden than usual and the normal projecting fender (common to most ferries) was at the right height to allow a safe position alongside. The master of European Gateway, Captain H. H. McGibney, remained aboard Valour to help in the continuing search.

At 2310, just as Valour was about to clear European Gateway, the Trinity House pilot vessel Patrol arrived on scene. Her master. Second Officer Wright, had spoken with Valour on the outward passage and was fully aware of the situation facing him. All available lifebuoys and blankets had been made ready and the stern lift lowered to the water in readiness. The 'on scene commander' directed Patrol to investigate debris off European Gateway's port quarter, where large wooden boxes were floating. No survivors were found and in the breaking seas and swell one propeller was fouled; it was quickly cleared by rapid engine movement and Patrol's crew member. Seaman ThomasWakelin, alerted Second Officer Wright to two men clinging high on the casualty's port quarter. Both men were thrown into the water as European Gateway gave a final lurch. Patrol was manoeuvred among the flotsam until Seaman Wakelin was able to throw a line to the first man; he was towed to the stern of the launch where both master and crew climbed on to the stern lift to drag him aboard. With no one at the helm, Patrol quickly broached to and, as she rolled heavily, the operation became very hazardous. With one man on board, the second man was found holding a piece of debris and the same operation repeated; neither of the pilot vessel's crew were wearing protective clothing and both were wet through by the time the two survivors were safely in the wheelhouse.

Patrol then made for the starboard (lee) side of European Gateway and a man was sighted high on the deck, clinging to the rails. Second Officer Wright approached the casualty fully aware that he was above submerged superstructure. The first attempt to reach the man failed because the tide carried the pilot vessel to port. Using more power, Second Officer Wright then drove Patrol against the athwartships rails while Seaman Wakelin released the man's hold on the rails and dragged him on to the pilot vessel's foredeck.

More survivors now appeared around the near horizontal side of the deckhouse and Patrol made a third approach, pinning her bows between the rails and superstructure to allow 14men to scramble aboard. Throughout this operation the pilot vessel's crew were aware that the ship's No 6 lifeboat was directly overhead, jammed against her own davits with a likelihood of breaking adrift, and pieces of buoyant cargo kept surfacing around them.

After illuminating the area with her searchlight and finding no more crew, Second Officer Wright took Patrol clear and set course for Dana Futura to transfer the 17 survivors to her. It was now 0100 on Monday December 20. The 'on scene commander' asked Patrol to continue the search and one survivor, George Lawn, a lorry driver, volunteered to remain on the pilot vessel to help with the searchlight.Lifeboats join search Harwich lifeboat arrived at 2328 and was asked by the 'on scene commander' to search down tide from European Gateway. Many empty lifejackets were recovered and, when the lifeboat was about three cables south west of the ferry, two men were sighted in the water, some 30 yards apart. Both were recovered at the waist of the lifeboat, with some difficulty in the steep seas.

They were found to be unconscious.

Crew members started mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in the warmth of the after cabin, but despite all efforts, neither man responded. Meanwhile, the lifeboat continued her search.

Walton and Frinton lifeboat, the 48ft 6in Oakley The Earl and Countess Howe, slipped her moorings at 2329 under the command of Coxswain Denis Finch and arrived on scene at midnight.She was asked to remain south of European Gateway searching the down tide area and collecting lifejackets. During the early morning an empty liferaft was found; the lifeboat towed it to Walton Backwaters and then refuelled before resuming the search.

At 0115 Harwich lifeboat rendezvoused with Patrol near European Gateway's stern where a suspended and partly inflated liferaft was being cut away. One body was recovered from the water by Patrol with the help of two lifeboatmen put aboard her to give additional manpower. Resuscitation efforts were made, but once again to no avail, and the body was transferred to the lifeboat; she landed all three bodies at Harwich, returning to the search area by 0150. The two lifeboatmen who had gone aboard Patrol now went to help on board the Trinity House pilot launch Vanguard which had joined the search fleet.

Throughout the time from 2350, the five tugs had been working on the weather side of European Gateway in heavy breaking seas. Although they are larger vessels than the Trinity House boats or lifeboats, with more crew, the operation was still hazardous. Sauria picked up two survivors and an upturned liferaft from the water. Alfred's master, Captain A. Taylor, put his tug's bow on to European Gateway's bottom and then, using a heaving line as a messenger, passed a 5in rope up to eight men still on board; on his instructions they made the rope fast then slid down it, one at a time, on to Alfred's bow.

The two dock tugs, Gary Gray and Gray Delta, had to transfer their survivors when both fouled their screws on the same trailing rope. On the return to Felixstowe they were towed together by the tug Ganges; during this passage the master of Gary Gray, Mr A. Lund, sustained head and rib injuries while trying to clear a foul towline.

In all, 18 survivors were taken off by the three tugs Sauria, Alfred and Ganges and the two dock tugs Gary Gray and Gray Delta. The men were landed at Felixstowe to waiting Police and ambulances.

By 0230 all but one of European's Gateway's complement of 69 had been accounted for. Helicopters from RAF Mansion and Coltishall, USAF Woodbridge and Koksijde in Belgium, which had begun arriving on scene from 0001, had made extensive searches and illuminated the area. The RAF Mansion winchman had walked the length of the upturned port side of the ferry but found no evidence of further survivors.

So, at 0230 all non search and rescue sea and air craft were released to return to normal duties.

At 0255 Harwich Harbour Authorities cancelled the combined accident procedure and progressively the SAR units were released. Harwich lifeboat returned to station at 0600; she was refuelled and once again ready for service by 0620. Walton and Frintonlifeboat remained in the search area until 0900, working with a USAF helicopter.

She then returned to station and was again ready for service at 0952.

There was still one man missing and the search for him was continued in the forenoon of December 20 by Aldeburgh and Southwold lifeboats. Aldeburgh's 37ft 6in Rother lifeboat James Cable launched at 1007 under the command of Coxswain William Burrell, BEM, and Southwold's Atlantic 21 rigid inflatable lifeboat was launched a few minutes later; she was manned by Helmsman Roger Trigg and Crew Members Jonathan Adnams, Steven Taylor and Philip Palmer. By this time the southwesterly wind had moderated to strong breeze, force 6, but it was still gusting up to gale force and the sea was moderate to rough. No sign was found of the missing man and the search was eventually called off at 1407. Southwold lifeboat returned to station at 1351 and Aldeburgh lifeboat at 1423.

For this service the bronze medal was awarded to Petty Officer Coxswain Kenneth V. Lee and Seaman Barry J.

Warner, the crew of the Trinity House pilot vessel Valour, and to Second Officer Michael A. Wright and Seaman Thomas E. Wakelin, the crew of the Trinity House pilot vessel Patrol.

Framed letters of thanks signed by the Duke of Atholl, chairman of the RNLI, were presented to George Lawn, the lorry driver who volunteered to remain with Patrol after himself being rescued, to Captain J. Lukes of the tug Sauria, Captain A. Taylor of the tug Alfred and Captain D. Webb of the tug Ganges and to Coxswain/Mechanic Peter Burwood of Harwich lifeboat and his crew: Second Coxswain Leslie Smith, Emergency Mechanic Robert Ramplin and Crew Members Peter Brand and Peter Dawson. In the absence of Rear Admiral W. J. Graham, director, letters of appreciation signed on his behalf by Cdr Brian Miles, deputy director, were sent to Captain H. H. McGibney, master of European Gateway, who remained aboard Valour to help in the search, to Mr C. Read of the dock tug Gray Delta and Mr A. Lund of the dock tug Gary Gray and to Coxswain Denis Finch of Walton and Frinton lifeboat and his crew: Second Coxswain Robert Kemp, Motor Mechanic James Berry, Assistant Mechanic Keith Richardson and Crew Members Brian Ward, Gary Edwards, Steven Moore and Trevor Halls..