Humber: The 100-year-old, 86ft gaff-rigged ketch, William McCann, had run aground at Donna Nook on the night of Saturday November 17, 1984. Her II passengers were lifted off during the night by helicopter while Humber's 54ft Arun class lifeboat. City of Bradford IV, stood by. The eight crew members of William McCann decided to stay aboard to see if the ketch could be refloated at high tide. The following day the lifeboat, with Superintendent Coxswain Brian Sevan in command, launched at 1208 to help while re-floating was attempted.

The crew of eight were still aboard, the vessel was making some water in the stern and there was heavy surf. As this photograph shows, the station's boarding boat, an I8ft6in McLachlan class lifeboat, was also used to help connect a tow rope. Unfortunately, the ketch's propeller became fouled with the tow rope and the attempt had to be abandoned on that tide. The next da the lifeboat and boarding boat again were at the scene and this time a tow rope was successfully connected. William McCann began to come off, then her stern hit another sand bank and the tow parted. With the use of the boarding boat the line was re-connected and the casualty towed clear. She wax making water down aft, but a portable pump was keeping the water level down. The ketch was towed to Grimsbv and berthed in the fish dock at 1656. At 1700 the lifeboat left Grimsbv on another service.

Photograph by courtesy of Grimsbv Evening Telegraph.