Invergordon lifeboat in drilling rig rescueThe White Rose of Yorkshire, Invergordon's Waveney class lifeboat, was involved in the rescue of two survivors who fell from a semi-submersible exploration drilling rig on 31 January 1992 in calm conditions.

The eight crew and local doctorhave been congratulated for their part in the short but intensely active service in a Letter of Appreciation from the chief of operations.

Under the command of Coxswain David Lipp, the lifeboat was launched at 1735 with Dr Shirley Carragher on board in response to a distress call from a drilling rig that was being anchored in theCromarty Firth.

With two Mearsk anchor-handling vessels in attendance, two men had tried to launch their man-overboard launch (MOD by lowering it from the falls. However, during the operation, the MOL, with the men on board, had fallen 120ft into the water.

Eight minutes after launching, the lifeboat arrived at thescene. The MOL was located alongside a local workboat, the Tern, which itself was alongside the Mearsk Shipper, one of the anchor-handling vessels.

The lifeboat manoeuvred alongside the MOL and made fast. At this point, the MOL was making water so the lifeboat crew deployed theeductorand pump. It was later found that the MOL's keel was seriously ruptured.

The crew used both search lights and a hand-held light to illuminate the scene, the latter proving particularly useful while Dr Carragher examined and administered painkillers to a survivor, who was lying trapped between the MOL's engine casing and its starboard side.

Because of lack of space, the lifeboa t crew could not slide the stretcher under the survivor, who had suffered broken arms, legs and pelvis. Instead, the metal tubing which encased him had to be cut away and ropes passed underneath to lift him.

After much difficulty, he was extricated from his position and lifted using the ropes onto the stretcher.

The survivor was in great pain, and it was learned later that one of his legs had been broken in five places.The other survivor was in the Tern's wheelhouse and reluctant to move, having suffered broken limbs.

With the first survivor in the aftercabin attended to by crew and the doctor, the lifeboat made best speed to shore. The second survivor was stretchered ashore from the Tern.

Both were taken to hospital.

The lifeboat returned to the scene of the incident once more to recover ropes from the MOL and to wait until the launch had been secured toa crane on board the Mearsk Shipper. She then returned to station at 1855 and was ready for service again at 1930.

All eight crew and thedoctor were fully employed during the two-hour service. In his letter, chief of operations Commodore George Cooper wrote, 'I would like to congratulate you all on a well co-ordinated service conducted in a professional manner'..