Saved 21 GALWAY BAY LIFEBOAT, the 48ft 6in Solent R. Hope Roberts slipped her moorings at 0715 on Sunday, November 9, 1986, after the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre at Shannon had alerted the station honorary secretary to the plight of the 2000-ton fishing factory ship Cornelius Vrolijk, ashore in a force 8 to 9 gale on Lower Gorumna Island.

With the wind blowing south south east, gusting to force 10, the sea was very rough, waves reaching 20 to 30 feet high on a 20ft swell. R. Hope Roberts reached the casualty at 0825 to find the 240ft vessel with her bows on the rocky shore and holed badly, the British oil tanker Shell Technician standing by.

The captain of the crippled Dutch factory ship told the lifeboat's Coxswain/ Mechanic Hartley Mullin that, with a risk of his vessel sinking, he felt most of the crew should be taken off.

Sea conditions at the scene remained rough, with visibility hampered by spray.

Coxswain Mullin reviewed the situation, approached the vessel under her stern and came alongside her port side—a difficult manoeuvre in a confined space, achieved with no damage to the lifeboat.

Here, in the lee of the Cornelius Vrolijk 21 crew were taken off, six staying on board to act as navigating party. At 0850 R. Hope Roberts headed out to sea and, at Griffin's Spit, just clear of the island, had to contend with breaking seas 30ft high, still on a 20ft swell.

Clearing the bay, Coxswain Mullin headed for Rossaveal, fighting the seas on the starboard bow for most of the way, landing the 21 men at Rossaveal Harbour at 1005.

Meanwhile, the casualty was refloated and, with her pumps running continuously, moved further into Galway Bay until she was beached.

The lifeboat battled through heavy seas to Kilronan and at 1200 was refuelled and ready for service.

For this service the thanks of the Institution on vellum was accorded to Coxswain/Mechanic Bartley Mullin and vellum service certificates to second coxswain Michael Flaherty; assistant mechanic Thomas Kelly; and crew members Martin Fitzpatrick, David Beatty, Patrick Dillane and Seamus Flaherty..