Fishing boats wrecked TWO GERMAN STUDENTS, walking on the cliffs near Breil Nook on Flamborough Head on the morning of Monday, May7, 1984, smelt diesel oil and, looking into the water, saw what appeared to be the overturned hull of a boat.

The alarm was raised and at 1255 Flamborough's 37ft Oakley class lifeboat, The Will and Fanny Kirby, launched under the command of Coxswain James Major. The weather was fine and clear but a strong north-north-easterly breeze, force 6, was blowing, giving a moderate to rough sea and there was a heavy northerly swell. It was 23/t hours after high water. Full speed was made towards the casualty's position three quarters of a mile away. On near approach the crew saw that there was little hope for any survivors in the heavy breaking seas and only pieces of debris were visible. The casualty was a localcoble, Carol Sandra, which had had four men on board, her skipper, Peter Brigham, being a member of Flamborough lifeboat crew.

At 1335 Bridlington lifeboat station was informed that Flamborough lifeboat was having engine trouble and that she was continuing her search for survivors with only one engine. To assist in the search and to provide cover for Flamborough lifeboat, Bridlington's 37ft Oakley class lifeboat, William Henry and Mary King, launched under the command of Coxswain Fred Walkington.

Half an hour later Filey lifeboat, the 37ft Oakley class, Robert and Dorothy Hardcastle, also launched to help with the search with Coxswain Frank Jenkinson at the helm.

At 1421 Bridlington lifeboat found wreckage just off Flamborough light and continued to search the area. At about 1500 her port propeller became fouled by a piece of wreckage. As nothing could be seen through the freeing scuttle, her coxswain decided, together with Flamborough lifeboat, which still could use only one engine, to go back to Bridlington to rectify the faults.

Meanwhile, Filey lifeboat continued to search, together with several local fishing craft and an RAF Wessex helicopter.

The wind had backed to northerly, force 6, and there was a moderate sea with heavy ten foot swell, at times confused by deflections from the cliffs.

At 1644, while Filey lifeboat was off Breil Nook, she received a MAYDAY call from one of the fishing vessels involved in the search. It was the angling boat Northwind III off North Landing, about half a mile away. The lifeboat was put about and headed towards her position at full speed; Northwind III was then seen to capsize. It was not possible for the lifeboat to get in amongst the rocks and breaking water where the capsized fishing boat lay. Her crew moved to the forward well to prepare the anchor in case it was possible to veer down. As the lifeboat neared the casualty, the RAF helicopter was seen to be approaching with a survivor held by the winchman on the end of the winchwire.

The lifeboat's engines were stopped and as the helicopter came near, the lifeboat lifted on a heavy swell and rolled to port. Both winchman and survivor on the end of the wire disappeared beneath the water, under the port bow of the lifeboat. The helicopter lifted and sheered away to port in order to snatch the men clear, but this movement made the winchwire swing like a pendulum. As it swung back towards the lifeboat, the winchman was struck against the wheelhouse. Another attempt was made to land the two men into the forward well but on near approach the injured winchman could no longer hold on to the survivor and dropped him into the sea. Crew Member Malcolm Johnson, who was in the forward well and fastened by his safety line to the port forward safety wire,jumped into the sea. He grabbed the survivor and pulled him to the lifeboat's side in way of the forward well, holding on to the grab ropes.

Coxswain Jenkinson then had to go slow ahead and hard astarboard to clear the broken water on to which the swell was driving him. Meanwhile, Malcolm Johnson held on to the survivor as the lifeboat pitched into the swell until the other crew members were able to haul first the survivor, then him aboard. The survivor was suffering from shock and hypothermia and Johnson himself was cold and wet. They were both put aboard the fishing vessel Cassandra, where there was dry clothing and a warm cabin, and were taken to Bridlington Harbour.

After he was injured, the winchman was winched back aboard the helicopter and a further survivor from Northwind III was picked up by lowering the strop to him as he clung to a rock. Both he and the winchman were then landed on the cliff top. Two more survivors who had been in an air pocket in the boat's accommodation were later helped ashore by a Coastguard officer as the capsized boat grounded on the rocks.

Filey lifeboat continued to search for further survivors until darkness. She arrived back at Filey at 2245 but had to wait until 2330 for the tide to uncover the beach for recovery. She was rehoused and ready for service at 0020.

Bridlington lifeboat, having cleared her propeller, had rejoined Filey lifeboat at 1705 and continued to look for survivors until it became dark and the search was called off. Flamborough lifeboat, her engine trouble repaired, also returned to the search at 1805 and when it was called off, her coxswain and several of the crew joined in a beach search over the low water period during the night.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Crew Member Malcolm Johnson of Filey. Vellum service certificates were presented to Coxswain Frank C. Jenkinson, Second Coxswain/ Mechanic Graham V. Taylor, Assistant Mechanic Lawrence Goodlad and Crew Members Colin Haddington, Kenneth J. Rennie and John P. Ward..