Fishermen plucked to safety from vessel in danger of capsize Coxswain John C. Murray of Buckle lifeboat station has been congratulated on the 'leadership, determination and skill' he displayed during a service to the fishing vessel Fidelity, which was reported aground on a dangerous reef near Buckie and in danger of capsize. The praise for the coxswain's actions is contained in a letter from the RNLI's Chairman, Michael Vernon.The first indications of the service came at 0258 on Saturday 17 August 1991, when Aberdeen coastguard reported a Mayday message from the fishing vessel Fidelity saying she had gone aground.

Within seven minutes Buckie's Arun class lifeboat Charles Brown with coxswain Murray at the helm was heading towards the casualty at full speed, being informed by the coastguard en route that the 'casualty's crew are taking to liferaft'.

Flare The sky was overcast with a westerly Force 3 creating a slight sea of some 3ft to 4ft, with little swell. Visibility was good.

Once out of the harbour the lifeboat played her searchlights on West Mucks and then Middle Mucks, but at that moment a red parachute flare was fired by the casualty's crew from the direction of East Mucks.

Turning the searchlight east, the lifeboat crew spotted the fishing vessel, hard aground with her starboard rail well under the water.

There was no sign of survivors, who were assumed to be in the liferaft and drifting ashore with the westerly wind.However, as the searchlight re-trained on the fishing vessel, a flashing torch on the port side of the casualty signalled the presence of the three survivors. Their liferaft could be seen, only partially inflated, lying off the port quarter. It later emerged that the three survivors had intended to take to the liferaft,but decided to stay aboard the stranded fishing vessel when they heard the maroons.

Coxswain Murray closed in on Fidelity, firing a white parachute flare to illuminate the area as the lifeboat approached. It soon became clear that the fishing vessel was lying with a list of about 40° to starboard, lifting to about 25° with the swell.

Speed was of the essence, and the lifeboat crew were ready to launch the inflatable Y boat which they carried aboard the Arun.

However the heavy rise and fall of the casualty in the swell meant the risk of capsize was too great, and would endanger the lives of both survivors and the Y boat crew if they were to become entangled in the rigging and fishing gear.At 0311, Coxswain Murray made the decision to go straight in to the aid of the fishing vessel.

From his experience, he knew that the casualty was on the north side of a reef with only 5ft of water at that state of the tide. With the starboard engine in neutral in case of damage to the propeller, he approached the casualty as slowly as he could, using the port engine to counteract the effects of the sea. He succeeded in putting the bow of the lifeboat close to the survivors, and at 0313 the lifeboat crew helped them scramble onto the bow of the lifeboat. Coxswain Murray then went gently astern on his port engine to clear the casualty and the reef- the lifeboat touching bottom three times at her stern before she was clear.

Charles Brown then returned to Buckie harbour, securing in her berth at 0325 and landing the three survivors at the station. She was ready for service again at 0330.

Divisional inspector for Scotland North Mr Les Vipond noted in his report that, 'It took only 27 minutes from the time of the first alert to landing the three survivors.

'Coxswain John Murray, aware that the survivors were in great danger, chose to approach the casualty without delay while accepting that his lifeboat could suffer some damage. He showed very good seamanship in accomplishing the task on one engine only.'.