Six lifeboats in search for missing Belgian trawler The new Tyne class lifeboat at Douglas, Isle of Man, had a testing time during her first service, in a search for a missing Belgian trawler which lasted for 11 hours in Force 7 winds and very rough seas. Sir William Hillary returned to resume the search after three hours ashore and was at sea for a further six and a half hours.

A total of six lifeboats took part in the search for Tijl Uilenspiegel, which also involved merchant vessels, helicopters, aircraft and HMS Ribble, but only a single body was recovered from the vessel's five-man crew.

Ly tham' s relief lifeboat Voluntary Workerwas at sea for 15 hours, the Port St Mary lifeboat The Gough Ritchie for more than 12 hours, the Barrow lifeboat James Bibby for eleven hours, the Moelfre lifeboat Robert and Violet for nine-and-a-half hours and the Fleet wood lifeboat Lady of Lancashire for seven hours. The arduous services earned the coxswains, crews and shore helpers at each of the stations a letter of appreciation from the RNLFs chief of operations.

Sir William Hillary was the first lifeboat to be called out, the honorary secretary at Douglas having been monitoring a conversation between a Belgian trawler and Liverpool MRSC. The language barrier was causing difficulties but it became apparent that the trawler had picked up a body from a sister ship, which was now missing.

At 2048 on 5 March 1989 the honorary secretary offered the assistance of the Douglas lifeboat, which was accepted a little over five minutes later and the crew paged. Sir William Hillary put to sea at 2106 for the 26- mile passage to the search area on a pitch black night with low cloud and gale force southerly winds creating a very rough sea on the starboard bow.

An hour and a half later the lifeboat arrived at the casualty's position and Liverpool MRSC which was co-ordinating the search asked her to search an area to the south.

Reaching her new position at 0003 the lifeboat began an intensive search pattern which lasted until 0639, investigating every piece of flotsam and with two men on deck with a searchlight at all times. The deck watch was rotated at intervals to prevent exposure in the poor conditions.

The Port St Mary lifeboat relieved SirWilliam Hillary at 0639 and she set a course for Douglas in a wind which had now moderated to Force 4, being slipped at 0800 on 6 March. At 1125 she launched again to continue the search, working with the Fleetwood lifeboat, and was finally back on station at 1930..