Crashed helicopter FALMOUTH COASTGUARD informed the deputy launching authority of St Mary's lifeboat station. Isles of Scilly, at 1250 on Saturday July 16. 1983, that the British Airways helicopter G-BEON was overdue at St Mary's airport with 26 people on board. Her last known position was two miles east of the airport.

The DLA immediately telephoned Coxswain Matthew Lethbridge who, pausing only to ask his wife to telephone the crew, went as quickly as possible to the boathouse. The crew arrived immediately after the maroons were fired and, at 1300, just ten minutes after the original call, the 52ft Arun relief lifeboat Sir Max Aitken, on temporary duty at St Mary's, had slipped her moorings.She set out on service at full speed.

Helicopters had been called out from RNAS Culdrose.

With a light north-westerly breeze, force 2, the sea was calm in St Mary's Harbour, but dense fog had reduced visibility to between 20 to 40 yards. It was 21A hours after high water, some three days after spring tides.

Coxswain Lethbridge steered from the upper steering position, on the flying bridge, until Cam Morval Point was abeam. He then asked Second Coxswain Roy Guy to take over on the bridge while he himself went down into the wheelhouse to give his orders from the radar position. A large number of yachts and other boats were encountered in the narrow channel around Bar Point but full speed was maintained throughout. During the passage the crew prepared the Y class inflatable dinghy for launching.

Falmouth Coastguard asked the lifeboat to search an area three quarters of a mile south east of Porth Hellick, where a radar sighting had been reported.

Steering south east from Bar Point towards the position given. Coxswain Lethbridge could see two targets on his radar and altered course towards the largest. At 1321 the lifeboat found a large yacht becalmed. The second target was found to be another yacht.

The coxswain then set course for the original datum position, realising for the first time that the missing helicopter might not be on the surface.

On the l'/2 mile radar range Coxswain Lethbridge detected what he could only describe as a 'shimmer' and altered course towards it, assuming that it could be wreckage. From the foredeck the lookouts reported, 'We can smell paraffin'. Coxswain Lethbridge took over the upper steering position again in time to hear from the foredeck, 'We can hear shouting!' Only then was speed reduced. Two boat lengths ahead people were seen in the water. The engines were stopped, then put astern, but the response was poor and Coxswain Lethbridge realised that the port engine had not engaged astern. He had to make another turn, to starboard, to get near the survivors.

Sir Max Aitken was stopped alongside a young girl and boy, and. while they were being helped aboard the Arun. the Y class inflatable dinghy was launched.

The dinghy first picked up two women, one of whom had supported her friend until the two helicopter pilots had been able to come to her assistance and to that of the children. The dinghy then picked up the pilots themselves. The four adults were taken safely aboard the lifeboat and, with the two children, were cared for in the wheelhouse; questioned by the crew they said that, as far as they knew, they were the only survivors.

Meanwhile, Motor Mechanic William Burrow had been able to investigate the engine problem, and the lifeboat and her inflatable dinahv then continued tosearch the immediate area in company.

Visibility was still only 40 yards at best when Coxswain Lethbridge guided in a Sea King helicopter by sound and radio. A doctor was lowered on to the lifeboat. After a brief examination he advised the coxswain that the survivors should go to hospital.

By now Coxswain Lethbridge felt that there were probably no other survivors to be found. Local boats had started to arrive and he arranged for Swan Dancer to drop a dan buoy in the position in which the survivors had been found, a little west south west of the original datum position. Falmouth Coastguard was informed that Silver Cloud would take over as co-ordinator of surface search.

At 1524 the relief Arun lifeboat Sir Max Aitken set off for St Mary's at full speed. A few minutes earlier, Penlee lifeboat had been asked to launch; Penlee crew had already been prepared for action and the station's 52ft Arun Mabel Alice launched at 1527 under the command of Coxswain Kenneth Thomas and headed for the search area.

Having landed six survivors and the doctor at St Mary's, Sir Max Aitken at once returned to the search area to resume her duties of co-ordinator of surface search. Visibility had now improved to a quarter of a mile. Coxswain Lethbridge called upon all the local boats to help in the search. Nine boats were drawn up in line abreast, a quarter of a mile apart so that visual contact was maintained with flanking boats. The boat with the least draught was on the inshore end of the line, within sight of the rocks and islands, and the boats fitted with radar were on the offshore end. A down-tide search was then made on an average course of 240°M. When Penlee's Arun arrived she was positioned to seaward of the other search vessels. In this manner the whole area from the datum position to Bishops Rock, south west of the Isles of Scilly, was very thoroughly searched. Nothing was found. The nine local boats were released and the two lifeboats returned to the datum position. On the arrival of the warship HMS St David, the lifeboats were instructed to return to harbour. Sir Max Aitken arrived back at St Mary's at 2007; after refuelling she was moored, ready for service, at 2115.

During the passage back to Newlyn, Penlee's Arun, Mabel Alice was diverted to help search for a 15ft speedboat believed lost in Mounts Bay.

Mabel Alice had searched along the coastline as far as Penzance when, at 2035, she was informed that the casualty had been found and that she should return to station. She had refuelled and remoored and was once again ready for service at 2130.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Coxswain Matthew Lethbridge, BEM. Vellum service certificates were presented to Second Coxswain E.

Roy Guy, Motor Mechanic William R.Burrow, Assistant Mechanic William Harry Lethbridge, Emergency Mechanics Rodney J. Terry and Ritchie C.

Christopher, and Crew Member James C. Terry.

Among messages of congratulations received by Coxswain Lethbridge and his crew was one from HRH The Duchess of Kent, who had been present at the dedication of St Mary's own Arun lifeboat, Robert Edgar, in 1981; one from Lord and Lady Wilson, signed Mary and Harold Wilson, who have spent much time on the Isles of Scilly; and one from Captain P. K. C. Harris, RN (Rtd), HM Coastguard regional controller at Falmouth..