Car over cliff LATE ON THE EVENING OF THURSDAY JULY 24, 1986, the coastguard cliff rescue team were called to Port Soderick Bay, 2'/2 miles south of Douglas on the Isle of Man. A car with four people inside had driven over a 330 ft cliff. When they arrived at the scene of the accident it became clear to them that a lifeboat was also needed so that a doctor could be landed at the foot of the cliff.

Therefore, at 2316 on a dark, overcast night, Douglas' 46ft 9in Watson class lifeboat, R. A. Colby Cubbin No 1, left the slipway under the command of Coxswain Robert Corran. The station's honorary medical adviser, Dr Richard Hamm, was on board and as the lifeboat steamed towards Port Soderick Bay more information about the accident was radioed to the lifeboat.

One of the car's occupants was already dead, one had possible spinal injuries and the other two were less seriously hurt. RAF Valley was closed operationally and was unable, therefore, to supply helicopter assistance.

A moderate onshore breeze was blowing on to a pebble beach with rockyoutcrops when the lifeboat reached the position of the car. Coxswain Corran anchored the lifeboat and, using her engines, placed her stern to, about 50 feet off the rocks. A small dinghy was then launched from the lifeboat with Second Coxswain Neil Corran, Crew Member Colin Kermode and Dr Hamm on board. The dinghy was rowed to the •hore and the doctor landed in a rocky ully where there was some shelter from e surf which was running about two t high and breaking.

The doctor examined the casualties d decided that while the body and the two people with lesser injuries should be removed by the cliff rescue team, the woman with spinal injuries should be taken on board the lifeboat. During this examination and the subsequent rescue the lifeboat crew lit up the isolated and very dark position with parachute flares and the searchlight.

At 0020 the dinghy returned to the lifeboat with the doctor and casualty and was then rowed back to the beach to land the lifeboat's Neil Robertson stretcher, needed for hoisting the body up the cliff. Twelve minutes later, with the dinghy back aboard, the lifeboat set course for Douglas where she arrived at 0049 and landed the doctor and patient to a waiting ambulance. She then returned to her slipway and after rehousing reported ready again for service at 0128.

Following this service letters of appreciation, signed by the chief of operations, Cdr Bruce Cairns, were sent to congratulate Coxswain Robert Corran on his part in the rescue and to thank Dr Richard Hamm, Second Coxswain Neil Corran and Crew Member Colin Kermode for their efforts..