Aground on the bar ON THE EVENING OF Wednesday July 11, 1984, a yacht, in difficulties in the estuary of the River Ribble, fired a red flare. She could be seen by the auxiliary coastguard at Lytham at anchor, and pounding in heavy seas.

At 2040 Lytham St Anne's 47ft Watson class lifeboat, City of Bradford III, with Coxswain Arthur Wignall in command, left her mooring and headed forthe yacht. The weather was fair and there was a westerly moderate breeze, force 4, blowing as the lifeboat approached the casualty, 35 minutes later. She was the 23ft Orari with three people on board. She had been on passage from Piel Island to Hoylake but had decided to make a detour up theRibble because of the weather. She ran aground on the bar and having taken a pounding, her skipper, afraid she might break up, had been firing distress flares at intervals.

The lifeboat came alongside the yacht which was now anchored in shallow water. Crew Member David Topping was put on board Orari to help pump the yacht out as she had been taking water, and to try to weigh the anchor, something her crew had been unable to do. Eventually a tow rope was passed when the anchor chain broke, but the yacht was now filling with water, so her crew and David Topping were taken aboard the lifeboat. A tow was then attempted to pull the sinking yacht to a position where she could be salvaged.

However, this was unsuccessful and she sank, becoming a total loss.

The lifeboat returned to her moorings and the three survivors were brought ashore at Lytham at 2220..