LIFEBOAT STAYS WITH CASUALTY FOR MORE THAN EIGHT HOURS Help for disabled MFV in severe gale force winds Whitby's relief Tyne class lifeboat Owen and Ann Aisher was on service for some 12 hours on 3 April 1990 when three fishing vessels experienced difficulties with the entrance to the harbour in onshore Force 9 winds and seas of almost 20ft. The lifeboat had been requested to standby at 1150 when the local fishing boat Nova Venture wished to enter harbour in the very difficult conditions. The 14 ton MFV was advised that entry would be too dangerous and that she should make for Scarborough, which would be safer.

As she made for Scarborough two larger vessels approached the entrance and in view of their size decided to enter. The 25 ton George Weatherill came into the harbour safely, but as the 51 ton Sophie Louise approached she radioed that her steering had jammed and that urgent assistance was required.

The lifeboat launched at 1209 and having encountered the conditions shown graphically in the photograph was alongside the casualty by 1335.

Taking the fishing vessel in tow in extremely difficult conditions she took 45 minutes to tow her to the Bell Buoy through broken white water.

It was decided that the entrance to Whitby would be impossible in the circumstances and that the best course of action would be to tow Sophie Louise to Scarborough. The tow parted on several occasions during the passage, and each time had to be re-established in very bad conditions.

Scarborough lifeboat arrived to assist but Owen and Ann Aisher remained with the casualty until 2200, awaiting sufficient water to enter Scarborough.

Conditions at Whitby were not improving and it was decided to leave the Whitby lifeboat at Scarborough, the crew returning by road to arrive home after midnight.

The lifeboat was brought back to her station the following day, but had remained on service throughout as arrangements had been made to take the crew back to her by road if she was needed.

After the service the station honorary secretary, Les Heath, commented: 'Attempting to enter Whitby Harbour is quite hazardous enough without a jammed rudder!' Medal service certificates The names of some lifeboatmen receiving medal service certificates were omitted from service reports in the Spring issue of THE LIFEBOAT. They were: Tenby - Mechanic Charles Crockford Yarmouth - Mechanic Robert Cooke and Dr Nigel Reid, station honorary medical adviser. 24-HOUR ALERT IN POOR CONDITIONS Three lifeboats stand by sailing barque in severe weather Three lifeboats were launched in winds of up to Force 11 when the Jersey registered sailing barque Kaskelot, with 17 people aboard, reported that her anchor would not hold and that her auxiliary engine was unable to cope with the conditions on 4 February 1990. Kaske/ot was on passage from Liverpool to the Canary Islands and was anchored in the lee of Anglesey when the master contacted Holyhead coastguard at 1812, requesting a tug as his anchor would not hold in the Force 9 winds.

As the tug could not reach the casualty for some three hours, Moelfre's Tyne class lifeboat Robert and Violet was launched in winds touching Force 11 and arrived to stand by her at 2120.

At 0016 the following morning the tug Avon Goch took Kaskelot in tow, with the lifeboat standing by, but by 0246 the line had parted. It was decided to wait for daylight before trying to re-establish the tow and at 0400 the Beaumaris Watson class lifeboat The Robert launched in gale force winds and rough seas to relieve Robert and Violet, taking over the escort at 0725.

Weather conditions were so severe when the Tyne returned to Moelfre that she was taken to shelter nearby, arriving at 0946.

The Robert continued to stand by the casualty, which had reported that the broken tow line had fouled her propeller when it parted. This was cleared at 0928 and Kaskelot decided to make for Liverpool under her own power, escorted by the tug and the Beaumaris lifeboat.

At 0937 Lytham St Anne's Tyne class Sarah Emily Harrop was launched to relieve the Watson, arriving at the casualty at 1110.

She then took over the escort duty, allowing The Robert to return to her station at Beaumaris by 1600. Conditions at her station were also so bad that she could not be rehoused for two days.

Lytham's lifeboat, on her first service at the station, continued to stand by the barque following the release of the tug at 1253 and by 1600 the casualty was safely in Liverpool with all crew safe and well.

The whole operation had lasted almost 24 hours and the chief of operations has written to all three stations involved thanking them for their efforts during the long services. Bare facts Swanage's relief Rother class Horace Clarkson was called out on 7 May 1990 when a swimmer was reported to have entered the water from a nearby naturist beach and had not been seen for some 40 minutes.

As the swimmer was somewhat lacking in protective clothing fears were being expressed for his safety.

In the event the lifeboat was not required, as before she could reach the scene the naked casualty had been found and helped ashore by friends on the beach.

He was taken to hospital in Swanage suffering from hypothermia. Hazardous rescue on single engine The RNLI's chief of operations has written to the Newhaven lifeboat station congratulating Second Coxswain Paddy Boyle for his skilful boathandling when he rescued a person from the water on 29 October 1989.

The station's Arun class relief lifeboat Ralph and Bonella Farrant had returned from an exercise after developing a fault with her port engine when a telephone call was received at the boathouse saying that a man was in danger of drowning off the western harbour arm.

An immediate decision was made to launch and the lifeboat put to sea at 1230 with only the starboard engine in operation.

The casualty had been swimming in the surf when he was dragged out by the undertow and swept towards the wavescreen at the base of the breakwater.

The wind was westerly, at least Force 6 to 7 and possible Force 8 and the sea was rough. with a severe backwash at the base of the breakwater.

The lifeboat arrived at the scene at 1239 and the crew spotted the man about 50ft from the wave screen. Second Coxswain Boyle brought the Arun in from the south and with the lifeboat rolling heavily beam on to the sea the crew on the foredeck were able to throw the casualty a heaving line and hoist the man aboard with the A-frame.

The swimmer was taken ashore and did not require any medical assistance, his wet suit undoubtedly helping avoid exposure.

The chief of operations' letter says that the Second Coxswain's immediate decision to launch and skilful boat handling without doubt saved the man's life. Harwich lifeboats called to power boat on fire Both of Harwich's lifeboats, the Waveney class John Fison and the Atlantic 21 British Diver II, were called to an incident on the River Orwell on 18 March 1990. A moored power boat had burst into flames, apparently when the engine was started, and a nearby yacht had alerted the Coastguard.

British Diver II was launched at 1041 and made good use of her high speed to arrive at the scene, a popular anchorage at Pin Mill on the River Orwell, by 1120.

She discovered that the sole occupant of the power boat, Sum Speed had been picked up from the water by a dinghy from the yacht which reported the explosion, and had been taken ashore and to hospital suffering from burns. His condition was later described as satisfactory.

The blazing power boat drifted alongside a nearby fishing vessel which also began to catch fire, but the crew of the Atlantic were able to put out this second fire with their extinguisher. Sum Speed was settling in the water and sank shortly afterwards, leaving burning fuel on the surface.

John Fison had also been launched to provide back-up, and after the Atlantic had liaised with the fire service and taken a representative aboard the badly damaged fishing vessel, to check that the fire was out, both lifeboats remained in the area until the fire on the water was out before returning to their station at 1215. They were refuelled and ready for service again by 1230. SIXTEEN CREW ABOARD LEAKING SPANISH MFV Arun at sea for nine hours in winds gusting to lOOmph The Arun class lifeboat City of Bradford, at Ballyglass during the new station's twelve-month evaluation period, carried out a long and arduous service on 11 February which earned the station a letter of congratulation from the director of the RNLI. The lifeboat was called on service to the 100ft Spanish longliner Xisti at 1100 and launched at 1120 in a NW Force 8 with very rough seas. The vessel had reported that she was holed and taking water, although the problem was eventually found to be a leaking stern tube.

The casualty was almost 40 miles NNW of the station and the lifeboat proceeded upwind in deteriorating weather. Within an hour of launching the wind was up to Force 12 and on arriving at the scene at 1345 the crew found seas of 60ft to 80ft running in the open Atlantic. An RAF Nimrod which had been pinpointing the position returned to base when the lifeboat arrived, and a Sea King and an Irish Air Corps Dauphin en route to the scene were stood down.

The casualty's pumps were holding their own, although the master was concerned that his temporary repair and his pumps would last.

It was decided to head downwind to Killybegs, even though it was 70 miles away, as the crippled longliner would find running down the seas easier than crossing them to the nearest port. Xixti was escorted by City of Bradford for the whole of the passage in winds of around Force 9 and with extremely rough seas.

On arrival at Killybegs and with the casualty safely secured at 2115 the coxswain decided that having been at sea for almost nine hours, and in the prevailing weather, it would be prudent to remain there overnight.

The following day the lifeboat returned to her station - a five-hour passage in westerly Force 9 winds - refuelled and was ready for service again at 1215. LIFEBOAT BROUGHT ALONGSIDE CASUALTY MORE THAN THIRTY TIMES Lifeboat rescues 33 crew from grounded ship in gales and darkness A difficult service in very poor conditions in which 33 seamen were taken off a grounded fish factory ship has led to Coxswain Mechanic Hewitt Clark of Lerwick lifeboat station being awarded the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum. The other five lifeboatmen aboard during the service (Second Coxswain Arthur Sinclair, Acting Assistant Mechanic Ian Fraser and crew members Ian Campbell, William Clark and Iain Tulloch) receive Vellum Service Certificates. The service began when, at 1920 on 28 October 1989, Shetland MRSC informed Lerwick's honorary secretary, Magnus Shearer, that the Nigerian registered fishfactory ship Azu was aground in Brei Wick Bay.

Her exact position was not clear and the honorary secretary informed the coastguard that in vie w of the darkness and poor weather he intended to have the lifeboat attend the casualty.

Dark At 1940 Lerwick'sreliefArunclass lifeboat Newsbuoy cast off and proceeded on service at full speed under the command of Coxswain/ Mechanic Hewitt Clark.

The night was very dark, the sky almost completely covered by dense clouds and heavy rain was falling. Visibility was a maximum of one mile and a near-gale was blowing from the east.

Low water had been some two hours earlier and the tide was now flowing southon wards through Bressay Sound at about 2 knots.

The sea was rough as the lifeboat cleared Lerwick Harbour, and the swell gradually increased to height of 10ft to 12ft as the lifeboat rounded The Nabb and entered Brei Wick. At 1948 the lifeboat approached the casualty and found the 1,800-ton vessel lying on a south-westerly heading, straddling a rock and with her middle third firmly aground.

She was pitching and rolling up to 15 degrees, with her unrestrained derricks swinging wildly out over both sides and her starboard anchor banging against the hull.

Crew All the decklights were on and the crew could be seen assembled on the afterdeck.

The pilot boat/tug Knab had a line to the casualty's stem and was trying to pull her off the rock while Azu went astern. The coxswain had spoken with A:u's master on the passage to Brei Wick and had been asked to take off most of the crew, leaving only a navigation party on board.

The pilot boat had been reluctant to approach Azu too closely as the crew were evidently in a state of panic and it was feared they might attempt to jump aboard, with resultant injury or loss of life.

Coxswain/Mechanic Clark decided to evacuate the crew from a short pilot ladder already rigged between two large fenders hanging over the starboard quarter, keeping his stem to the wash from the casualty's propeller.

Ladder Approaching from the west he placed the starboard shoulder of the lifeboat close to the pilot ladder and, controlled, encouraged and timed by the second coxswain, a man was pulled aboard from the ladder.

The lifeboat then came clear stern-first to avoid the roll of the casualty to starboard, and the crewman was taken aft. The lifeboat then approached again, as conditions permitted, and took off another crewman in the same way. This manoeuvre was repeated more than 30 times, in a period of 20 minutes, until 33 men had been safely taken off.

The coxswain was confident that he could deal with the eight men remaining on the casualty in the event of an emergency evacuation and, at 2016, the lifeboat returned to Lerwick Harbour, to land the 33 survivors before returning to the casualty.

The towline had parted and been re-connected in her absence, and with a combination of the rising tide, the violent motion of the casualty, her power astern and the weight on the towline, she came clear of the rocks at 2128. Knab and the lifeboat escorted her to a safe area, where she was anchored at 2143, and by 2222 it had been established that the Azu was not making water.

The lifeboat returned to Lerwick, was refuelled and ready for service again at 2245. Anger over hoax call Police and Coastguards hit out at a hoax caller after a long sea and air search of Cleethorpes seafront found nothing.

The operation was launched in bitter weather on the night of 25 February after reports had been received of a body floating in the River Humber.

Police checks were later reported to have revealed that the call was likely to have been a hoax.

A spokesman for the Coastguard told the local paper the next day: 'Callers like this not only put put the lives of lifeboatmen in danger, they could divert services from a genuine call-out. It was not good weather for the boats to be out last night, but the real worry is that while they were tied up we could have had a real emergency.' D class lifeboats help nearly 600 people to safety from flooding The sterling efforts of the crews of three North Wales lifeboats during the severe flooding which hit the area in late February 1990 have earned the stations special certificates of thanks from the Chairman of the RNLI. The lifeboats were in operation from 26 Februrary to 1 March and while working in difficult, dangerous and extremely uncomfortable conditions helped some 580 people and countless family pets to safety after the failure of the sea wall in hurricane force onshore winds and exceptionally high tides.

In addition to the inflatable lifeboats the crew also used their launching vehicles in the floodwater, where their high ground clearance and the ability to work in a wet environment proved invaluable.

The first request for help came at 1100 on 26 February when the North Wales Police contacted the honorary secretary at Rhyl, to ask for assistance in evacuations at Towyn, three miles to the west of the station. The lifeboat was on its way to the scene at 1130 with five crewmen and subsequently another three crew were despatched to help.

Llandudno's lifeboat was called at 1130 by Holyhead Coastguard and was on its way ten minutes later, and Flint's Land Rover set out for the 25 mile trip to the area just after 1230.

The conditions which greeted the crews were difficult in the extreme, with water up to 6ft deep, currents up to 5 knots, floating debris, and underwater obstructions ranging from collapsed walls to open manhole covers.

The crews from all three stations worked long hours, snatching refreshments at Rhyl lifeboat station and being at work until the early hours of the morning throughout the period of the alert.

Several areas were involved, with Towyn, Pensarn and Kinmel Bay all being searched and evacuated at various stages. Many of those evacuated were elderly, sick or disabled and all had to be taken by lifeboat or by Llandudno's Unimog tractor or Flint's Land Rover to a place of safety. From the first alert in the late morning of 26 February until the highest tides had passed nearly five days later virtually every lifeboatman and helper in the area was involved in the service, some spending up to 19 hours a day in the floodwater. No less than 51 people from the three stations are singled out for special thanks in the chairman's certificates of recognition. Although civil emergencies of this nature are thankfully rare, and unlikely to recur in the same area, the RNLI held a special debriefing after the event to see how well its equiment and organisation coped with a series of events which could hardly have been foreseen, let alone exercised.

It was generally agreed that the lifeboat involvement and liaison with the Coastguard were most satisfactory but that other emergency services' communications with their maritime equivalents could be improved.

Suggestions arising from the North Wales flooding are likely to be circulated to other stations in case a similar situation arises in the future..