Whitby Scarborough East Division TWO LIFEBOATS STAND BY IN SEVERE CONDITIONS Lifeboatman overboard during long service to stricken coaster Members of the Scarborough lifeboat crew hauled their own Second Coxswain, John Trotter, to safety aboard their new Mersey class lifeboat Fanny Victoria Wilkinson and Frank Stubbs in difficult circumstances after he was thrown overboard while on service to the German coaster Vineta on 29 September 1991.

The 1,700-ton Vineta had suffered machinery failure and was dragging her anchor five miles NNW of Scarborough Castle, drifting dangerously close to rocks, when coxswain Stuart Ogden and his ere w launched at 1129 to relieve Whitby's Tyne class lifeboat, City of Sheffield. The Tyne had been at the scene for several hours, awaiting the arrival of a tug to tow the disabled coaster to safety.

As the Scarborough lifeboat arrived at the scene at 1155, Vineta was taking water into her engine room and a pump was put aboard by a helicopter. The Whitby lifeboat returned to her station, arriving back at the scene some four-and-a-half hours later, at 1625, to relieve the Scarborough boat as the tug was not expected till 1900.

However, no sooner had the Scarborough crew reached their station at 1643, than the coastguard advised them that the tug, Lady Moira, was now expected an hour earlier.

With time only to check the fuel, the lifeboat returned to the casualty, taking portable radios for the six crew of the Vineta because of problems with lack of contact with the casualty.

At 1750, Vineta was told that the lifeboat intended to transfer the radios to the coaster and second coxswain John Trotter positioned himself on the starboard bow ready for the approach.

The wind was now NE Force 6-7, and the sea state was rough with seas and swell almost 20ft high. Any approach would be difficult, but the safest way was to bring the lifeboat's starboard bow up to the port side of the casualty's stern.

As the lifeboat made the run in to within 6ft of the casualty Vineta lifted on a big swell and the lifeboat fell off a sea under the coaster's counter - just as second coxswain Trotter threw the radio to the crew of the ship.

Already off-balance as the lifeboat went astern to avoid being caught under the ship's counter, he was thrown into the sea and the tidal stream swept him out from under the counter of the ship and away from her stern.

Prompt actions by crew members Peter Harrington, John Pearson and Colin Lawson saved the situation. A line was thrown and second coxswain Trotter was brought alongside and on board with the aid of the lifting strop. He was bruised but otherwise unharmed.

Contact was re-established with the casualty and once the tug had arrived both lifeboats stood by as the tow lines were passed and Vineta taken to safety. At 1920, the coastguard stood down the lifeboats After his ordeal, second coxswain Trotter said: 'I was only in the water five or ten minutes but it felt like a lifetime. The lads had it all under control, though.' Thanks, but no thanks for Barry Dock! Barry Dock lifeboat crew were faced with an unusual situation on 12 September this year, when one of two survivors they had located refused the offer of a lift to safety on the lifeboat! Within 10 minutes of a 'shout' from Swansea coastguard, the crew of the relief Arun Sir Max Aitken were on their way to pick up two survivors from an RAF Tornado that had crashed in the Bristol Channel.

The two pilots had ejected and the crew found them unharmed and awaiting the rescue services in their inflatable dinghies. One of the airmen was winched aboard a rescue helicopter but the other pilot politely declined the lifeboat crew's offer to board, waiting instead to be lifted into the helicopter with his co-pilot.

In a letter of thanks to Barry station branch, one of the pilots, based at Marham, King's Lynn, wrote: 'It was marvellous to see the lifeboat bearing down on us, particularly as the helicopter had not appeared at that stage. Personally, I was very sorry to have turned down the chance of you picking me up...' Bude South West Division ELDERLY MAN RESCUED FROM GROUNDED YACHT Crew member swims through heavy surf and scales cliff to survivor Simon Chadwick, a member of Bude lifeboat crew, has received a letter of thanks from the Chairman of the Institution following his first service call in the station's D class lifeboat. During the service he swam ashore through heavy surf and then scaled a crumbling cliff to a stranded survivor.

The service began at 0940 on 30 June this year when Falmouth's honorary secretary heard from the coastguard that the yacht Mary E had been reported aground on the beach at Crackington by the fishing vessel Helen Clare. An immediate launch was requested.

Just six minutes later, the station's D class inflatable lifeboat was launched. Although the wind was only Force 2. a 10ft westerly ground sea was running and the day was overcast with mist.

After clearing the surf off Barrel Rock the lifeboat headed south west at best speed to arrive at the scene at 1000. She found the fishing vessel Helen Clare standing off the casualty, Mary E, which was hard aground on rocks on Pencarrow Point, at the north side of Crackington Haven. The yacht was being pounded by the surf and a person could be seen 80ft to 100ft up the cliff, which was some 200ft high at this point.

Surf Lifeboat helmsman Martin Woodrow was wary of trying to land through the surf onto rocks, so crew member Simon Chadwick volunteered to swim ashore to investigate.

He was taken as close to the shore as the helmsman dared go and then swam the remaining distance through the surf. Having checked the yacht for survivors and finding none aboard he continued to the beach, then climbed the cliff to the person who was some 80ft up.

This was the skipper and sole occupant of the yacht, a 70-year-old man who was exhausted and unable to move up or down the crumbling cliff face.

A helicopter had arrived at the scene by now and was preparing to winch the survivor aboard. Crew member Chadwick had the presence of mind to shield the survivor with his own body from the flying debris in the down-draught from the helicopter's rotor blades and then to help him into the strop.

Once the survivor had been winched up the helicopter took him to Barnstaple hospital as his condition had swiftly deteriorated and heart failure was suspected. His condition was later found to be due to delayed shock from his ordeal.

Crew member Chadwick then returned to the yacht and, having recovered the survivor's personal effects and valuables, signalled for the helmsman to pick him up.

Helmsman Woodrow made two attempts to come in to the beach before signalling in return that he considered it too dangerous.

Chadwick then swam through the surf to board the lifeboat which returned to her station at 1120. She was refuelled, rehoused and ready for service at 1210.

In his letter thanking crew member Chadwick for his actions, Chairman Michael Vernon noted that he had 'displayed personal courage and presence of mind on only your first service as a member of the lifeboat crew by preventing the remainder of the crew being exposed to danger and assisting in the safe rescue of the skipper of the yacht'.

The RNLI's chief of operations Commodore George Cooper has written to helmsman Woodrow to congratulate him on his 'decision not to take the lifeboat into the surf which would thus have endangered the lives of the remaining crew members.' Ramsgate South East Division Tyne to the rescue of sinking pilot boat Ramsgate's relief Tyne class lifeboat Owen andAnnAisherw&s called to the assistance of Ramsgate port control on 1 June 1991 when one of their launches, the pilot boat St Olave, was reported to be sinking 1.75 miles NNE of the North Foreland.

The tide was ebbing and a fresh NE breeze was making the sea choppy when the lifeboat left her moorings at 0307 with a salvage pump on board. When she reached the casualty, just 13 minutes later, the bow of the pilot cutter was almost underwater, the forward cabin was flooded and water was reaching the engine room.

Second coxswain Derek Pegden and crew- man Timothy Hurst went aboard, taking the pump with them, and had to smash a hatch to gain entry to the forecabin. As pumping began, the lifeboat took the St Olave in tow to Ramsgate, stern first.

Already having taken off two survivors from the casualty, a second pilot cutter took the lifeboatmen off when the swell made the casualty list to a dangerous angle during the tow.

The lifeboat continued to pump out the cutter on arrival at Ramsgate until a crane could be brought in to lift it onto the quay.

The lifeboat then returned to station and was back on her moorings, ready for service at 0540.

Portpatrick Scotland South Division Tyne's inflatable used to transfer sick woman through surf to lifeboat Commodore George Cooper, the RNLI's Chief of Operations, has written to congratulate Coxswain/mechanic Robert Erskine and his crew for 'a fine team effort conducted in a very professional manner' after the evacuation of an eight months-pregnant woman with severe stomach pains from Morroch Bay to Portpatrick on 15 August this year.

It was not possible for an ambulance to reach the woman so the coastguard requested the assistance of Portpatrick's Tyrte class lifeboat Mary Irene Millar to transfer the woman for medical attention.

It was just before high water and a fresh westerly breeze was making the sea choppy to rough when the lifeboat left her moorings, reaching the scene at 1526.

Because of a high surf on the beach the lifeboat's small inflatable X boat was launched and the sick woman transferred by lifeboat stretcher across the beach and into the inflatable.

Three crewmen then entered the water to hold the lifeboat steady while the woman was transferred to the Tyne, which had been placed broadside on to the X boat to provide shelter. By the end of the operation, the men who brought out the X boat were up to their shoulders in heavy surf.

A paramedic also came aboard to accompany the pregnant woman, and on return to harbour the woman was transferred by ambulance to Stranraer hospital.

Coxswain Erskine was understandably relieved that the crew's child delivery skills had not been tested on this occasion. And under 'Number of lives considered as rescued by the lifeboat' in his service report, honorary secretary Mr H. Harvie was pleased to respond: 'One - and a bit!' Children cut off by tide SWoth Scotland South Division Two children aged 12 and 5 years who had been cut off by the tide on a sandbank off Mawbray were rescued on 7 July 1991 by the prompt response of the Silloth lifeboat and John Boyle, a member of the public who swam to the children's assistance.

Liverpool coastguard were alerted by a 999 call and requested the immediate launch of the Atlantic 21 lifeboat, which set off at 1711 with helmsman Colin Akitt and crew members Steven Henderson, Andrew Winter. Richard Hocking and Malcolm Brown aboard. They reached the two children just eight minutes later.

When the lifeboat arrived Mr Boyle was supporting the children and trying to get to shallower water. The two children were taken aboard and given first aid and a crew member escorted Mr Boyle ashore.

In a letter of congratulations to honorary secretary Captain C.J. Puxley, the Chief of Operations, Commodore George Cooper, said: '...the helmsman praised the actions of Mr 3ohn Boyle who supported the children in the water. I consider the timely arrival of the lifeboat also contributed to the saving of the children's lives and I would like to congratulate the crew members for their performance in this first class service.' Club safety boat rescues four An incident which took place in the Ribble Estuary on 13 August this year has earned Mr Richard Blackburn the thanks of the chief of operations after he launched the Ribble Cruising Club rescue boat to save the life of a swimmer in trouble.

A speedboat that had been in difficulties earlier in the day had been towed to safety by a yacht and placed on a mooring. The occupants then settled down to do some fishing.

At about 1550 that same afternoon, one of the men on board decided to go for a swim and leapt overboard, only to be carried rapidly seawards in the strong ebb tide.

In view of the urgency of the situation, two of the Lytham lifeboat crew, P. Sumner and R. Wignall, asked Mr Blackburn if he would be willing to launch his club's rescue boat.

Mr Blackburn agreed and a few minutes later had picked up the swimmer, who was already in an exhausted state, and brought him ashore.

Concern was felt for the safety of the speedboat and the three remaining occupants, and they were brought to shore as the boat had run out of fuel. The local auxiliary coastguard was reported to have spoken to the men later...! .Buckle Scotland North Division ARUN MANOEUVRED ON ONE ENGINE ALONGSIDE SHALLOW REEF 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.

'Their liferaft could be seen, only partly inflated, lying off the port quarter' 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.' Dover, Littlestone, Dungeness, Rye, Hastings, Eastbourne and Newhaven South East Division Seven lifeboat stations involved in 21 hour search for missing anglers A complex service on 14 April 1991 involved all seven lifeboat stations from Dover to Newhaven, lasted 21 hours and involved searching of an area of 3,400 square miles for two missing vessels. As a result three lives were saved from one casualty, but sadly two bodies were recovered from the second.

The alarm was first raised at 2310 on 13 April, when Dover lifeboat station was asked by the coastguard to search for an angling dinghy seen signalling for help.

Ten minutes later, in a NNE Force 7 to 9, Dover's Thames class Rotary Service with Coxswain Hawkins at the helm launched and proceeded to her allocated search area.

At 0045 the Dungeness lifeboat Alice Upjohn was launched under the command of Coxswain William Richardson . The launch was hazardous, with a strong on-shore wind creating a heavy swell. One crew member was swept off his feet by the breaking seas but no damage or injury was sustained. That the boat was launched at all was due to the skill and quick reactions of the tractor driver.

When the lifeboat cleared the beach she pitched and rolled violently in the steep swell of more than 12ft, heading for the search area in winds gusting to Force 11.

At Littlestone the honorary secretary had heard of the search on his radio and offered the services of his station's Atlantic 21, the rigid inflatable launching at 0048 in a NE Force 7 with severe gusts and rough seas.

By 0100 a full-scale search was under way in difficult conditions with the Dover, Dungeness and Littlestone lifeboats assisted by a rescue helicopter.

Missing As this continued another craft was reported missing - and the search was now on for two dinghies with a total of five people.

Two hours later, at 0300, the Littlestone lifeboat returned to station to refuel and to change crew, who were by now suffering from tiredness and exposure in the unprotected high speed inshore lifeboat.

As yet there had been no sign of the missing angling boat, but Coxswain Richardson of Dungeness lifeboat suggested that in view of the prevailing wind it would be wise to shift the search to an area west of Dungeness power station.

The coastguard agreed and once the search of the new area was complete the crew took a short rest in the lee of Dungeness. They had been on the exposed deck of the Rother for some hours taking turns in the extreme cold to operate the searchlight. Despite the difficulties it was this crew which located the first casualty at 0605 - a small boat with three men aboard who were suffering from exposure, exhaustion and hypothermia.

All three were taken to Dungeness boathouse, where a helicopter took them to hospital.

The three men had seen the search around them but were powerless to indicate their position.

Only thirty minutes after her return to station Dungeness lifeboat was put back on her launching carriage and re-launched at low water to search for the second missing vessel, a 17ft cabin cruiser with two anglers aboard and last seen off Dungeness.

The Dover lifeboat Rotary Service was also diverted to search for the second casualty and was taken well out into the English Channel where seas were very rough with a cold north-easterly wind.

Changed At 0740, Dover coastguard requested the services of the C class Rye Harbour inshore lifeboat to join the other lifeboats in the search. She put to sea at 0808 and carried out a zig-zag search from Dungeness Point to Fairlight and extending 1.5 miles out to sea.

After completing a sweep of the whole area the lifeboat returned to station at 0957.

The crew of the Littlestone lifeboat was changed back to the original members at 0815 and her search continued until the whole of the inshore sector had been thoroughly covered. The lifeboat was stood down by the coastguard at 0930, because of the bad weather conditions.

Eastbourne's Rother class lifeboat Duke of Kent with Coxswain Corke in command became involved at 0955 while on a routine Sunday morning exercise. The lifeboat proceeded to her allotted area and searched for six hours, investigating numerous pieces of flotsam before being stood down at 1622 when the casualty was located.

At 0942, Dover's Rotary Service headed for Boulogne to refuel, returning to mid Channel to search throughout the day until, at 1623, she was asked to join the Hastings and Newhaven lifeboats to search an area in which an upturned vessel had been reported.

Newhaven's Arun class lifeboat Keith Anderson with Coxswain/mechanic Michael Beach in command had just returned from another service when Dover coastguard requested that she too join the search for the missing small boat. At 1100 the Arun had proceeded to Greenwich Light Buoy, 22 miles from her station, and had carried out a creeping search from 1225 until 1514 when she too was asked to rendezvous with the Dover and Hastings lifeboats.

Deteriorated Finally, Hastings' Mersey class lifeboat Sea/ink Endeavour with Coxswain Fred White in command was launched at 1052 in a NNE Force 5 to 6 and moderate seas. She too had been asked to join the search close inshore and then progress to seaward adjacent to Hastings. Conditions deteriorated rapidly and she was at sea for eight hours with a continuous lookout on deck in NNE winds of Force 6 to 7.

The capsized vessel was eventually located by the rescue helicopter, at approximately 1622 some 26 miles from Hastings.

The Hastings lifeboat took the cruiser in tow, but slipped it when the helicopter reported two bodies in the water nearby. The bodies were eventually recovered by helicopter, but when the lifeboat returned the cruiser had sunk. Sealink Endeavour returned to her station at 1854.

Letters of thanks have been sent by the Chairman to Coxswain WiHiam Richardson and tractor driver Mr Kenneth Coleman, of Dungeness lifeboat station; from the Director to crew, shorehelpers and honorary secretary Mr Chistopher Wren of Dungeness station, to Coxswain Tony Hawkins and the crew members of Dover station, to the crew of Littlestone-on-Sea lifeboat and to Coxswain Fred White and the crew of Hastings lifeboat station; and from the chief of operations to Coxswain/mechanic David Corke and Eastbourne crew, to the crew of Rye Harbour, and to Coxswain/mechanic Michael Beach and the crew members of Newhaven lifeboat..