Casualty taken in tow half-a-mile from rocks in on-shore galeThe RNLI's chief of operations has written to the secretary of the Sennen Cove lifeboat station commending the coxswain and crew for their actions during a service to a disabled yacht in gale force winds.

At 1130 on 5 July 1990 the Coastguard notified the station of a Swissregistered yacht which had lost her steering about a mile north of Pendeen.

With the wind from the NNW at Force 7 to 8 and a high sea with a 1 Oft to 12ft swell the yacht, Koo-She, was off a very dangerous lee shore.Sennen Cove's Rother class Diana White launched just nine minutes later for the passage to the reported position, a little over five miles to the north of the station, and a helicopter was also scrambled.

Tow Although the helicopter arrived at the scene shortly before the lifeboat it did not take off any of the yacht's crew as the lifeboat was just minutes away, arriving on scene at 1205.

With the yacht now little more than a quarter-of-a-mile off the rocks a tow was quickly passed, and the lifeboat began to ease the casualty away to seaward. Because of the weather conditions it was necessary to head offshore to clear Land's End and the Runnel Stone and to pass Sennen Cove to find shelter from the westerly seas behind the land.

The only possible port of refuge in the conditions was Newlyn, and so Diana White towed Koo-She, with the four crew aboard, for four hours to the safety of the harbourthere before returning immediately to Sennen.

Although conditions were very bad, with seas breaking over the harbour wall, the lifeboat was succesfully recovered and was ready for service again by 1805..