Search for swimmer FOR WHITBY'S 1983 lifeboat day, Saturday August 6, the weather was fine and clear with little wind and calm water.

Just before 1500 the lifeboat crew were assembling aboard the 44ft Waveney relief lifeboat Wavy Line, on temporary duty at Whitby, in preparation for a rescue demonstration launch, when a man wearing sub-aqua gear asked if he might walk over the stern of the lifeboat to enter the water to swim to a yacht moored nearby. Permission was given and the man jumped in, surfaced and began to swim. It was just after high water.

A few minutes later a sudden cry for help was heard and the man was seen to disappear beneath the water; bubbles which at first appeared on the surface ceased. Coxswain Peter Thomson and Crew Member Brian Hodgson immediately stripped to their trousers and dived off the lifeboat to try to find the swimmer. The water was about 25 feet deep and, with suspended river silt, visibility was almost nil. After two dives Coxswain Thomson put on a pair of goggles passed to him from the lifeboat and dived again with his vision now improved to between two to three feet.

Staithes and Runswick Atlantic 21 rigid inflatable lifeboat and Whitby's D class inflatable lifeboat, both afloat in the harbour for Lifeboat Day, arrived on scene at about 1515 and Second Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic Michael Coates was taken by Staithes Atlantic (with Iain Baxter at her helm) to try to get help from some sub-aqua divers operating outside the harbour. Crew Member David Smith, from the Whitby D class boat, had dived to help with the search.

Coxswain Thomson, with the aid of the goggles, sighted something on the bottom at a depth of about 25 feet but was unable to reach it. He surfaced and dived again in the same position; although he saw what appeared to be an air bottle he was unable to reach it. He surfaced and indicated the place to Crew Member Smith, who took a deep breath and dived down. David Smith managed to reach the missing man and with great difficulty swam with him tothe surface. Even then he was being pulled under by the weight, but helped by Coxswain Thomson, Crew Member Hodgson and Second Coxswain Coates (who had just returned in the Atlantic with two sub-aqua divers and who jumped in when he saw the difficulty), he managed to swim to the Waveney lifeboat. The weight was pulling all four men under. A heaving line was passed from the lifeboat and made fast to the swimmer's tank harness, but the man slipped from the harness and again sank to the bottom.

Repeated attempts were made by the now exhausted lifeboatmen and the sub-aqua divers to find the body again, all unsuccessful because of poor visibility.

Police frogmen joined the search and the body was eventually found at 1843 and brought ashore at 2000.

The remainder of the Lifeboat Day activities were cancelled.

For their selfless and courageous efforts framed letters of thanks signed by the Duke of Atholl, chairman of the Institution, were presented to Coxswain/ Mechanic Peter N. Thomson, Second Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic Michael R. Coates and Crew Members Brian W. Hodgson and David Smith. A letter signed by Rear-Admiral W. J.

Graham, director, was sent to Mr J. C.

James, honorary secretary of Staithes and Runswick, expressing appreciation for the help given by the crew of the station's Atlantic 21..