fescue from the Johan Cottett, 5 February 1963 Coxsivain Hubert Tetit, guernsey TheNorwegianmerchantship/o/w iCo et( was 14 miles off LesHanois lighthouse, Guernsey, when her skipper radioed for help; his cargo had shifted and his vessel was listing severely to starboard.

Coxswain Hubert Petit, in command of St Peter Port's 52ft Barnett class lifeboat Euphrosyne Kendal, that afternoon knew time was of the essence and that a foul tide was running offshore so he kept within 50 yards of the shore, passing inside many rocks.

The South African frigate President Kruger was on her way with six other vessels and the first on the scene picked up 11 crew from the casualty's boat.

Three more men from the stricken ship boarded a liferaft and were picked up by another ship and by the time the lifeboat arrived the wind had strengthened to full gale force. It was snowing and ice was forming on the lifeboat's windscreen. Johan Cottett lay beam to the wind, in 15ft seas and listing heavily to starboard with her gunwale awash.

Three hours later the master asked the lifeboat to take off his chief engineer and two apprentices, but on his first run in Coxswain Petit realised that the falls from the empty davits would imperil the whole operation. They were hauled inboard and he made three further approaches, holding the lifeboat alongside long enough for a man to jump.

A tug, Abeille 10, then arrived and after an hour and a half and seven attempts finally secured a line and began towing. Immediately the casualty's list increased to some 40 degrees.

A three knot tide was running against the Force 1 0 gusts, creating very rough, steep seas. Johan Collett was on her beam ends when the decision came to abandon ship - in those appalling conditions six men had to be taken off a vessel being towed at 3 knots. Coxswain Petit began his first run in to position the lifeboat's starboard side alongside the merchant ship on the top of a sea and to stay there long enough for a man to jump.

As the lifeboat made her approach a huge sea picked up her bow and threw it off course, but Hubert Petit regained control and one by one the crew were brought aboard. Only the master was left, but when the time came to jump he fell outside the lifeboat's guard rail and was dragged aboard seconds before the two vessels struck heavily.

St Peter Port lifeboat turned for home with nine survivors aboard, arriving exactly fifteen hours after her launch.The. 1(evi fescue., 14 February 1979 CoTtsuiain 'Brian "Sevan, lumber February; a north-easterly gale, gusting to Force 9 and increasing; snow storms; midnight. Brian Bevan, full-time coxswain and superintendent of Humber lifeboat station is roused three minutes before midnight by the coastguard. Revi, a small Panamanian cargo vessel is in distress 30 miles off Spurn light vessel. Heavy seas have ripped away her hatch covers and water is entering her hold.

The 54ft Arun class lifeboat City of Bradford IV heads into the darkness at full speed. The impact into the trough of one 20ft sea opens every electric breaker and plunges the wheelhouse into darkness. The coxswain reduces speed to 14 knots, the waves increase, some as high as 35ft.

Fifty minutes later Revi puts out an even more urgent call: she is sinking and requests the British ship Deepstone which is already standing by to close in. The lifeboat still has 8 miles to run.

The lifeboat crew get their first sight of the casualty at 1.36am. Her master, in a desperate attempt to make the River Humber, is steaming at full speed towards them, his ship constantly buried by the huge seas.

The wind is Storm Force 10 as the lifeboat takes up station close astern of Revi.

The master radios that he wants two crew members taken off.

Coxswain Bevan asks the master to steer south at slow speed and to have the two men on the boat deck ready to jump.

The lifeboat edges in under the casualty's quarter and a huge wave completely engulfs the coaster's stern. Brian Bevan throttles full astern just in time to see Revi fall back down, missing his foredeck by inches.

Again and again the lifeboat makes an approach and is forced back, the casual tyoften towering 20ft above the heads of the men on the foredeck.

At last the right moment comes and the two crewmen are able to throw themselves into the lifeboat.

With two men safe Revi continues the desperate run for the Humber, but five minutes later the accommodation begins to flood, the cargo of sand shifts and the ship is listing 45 degrees to port. Now master and mate must abandon ship. The bow is turned to the west to give a lee on the low port side, Revi is clearly sinking and seas are sweeping across her.

A massive sea breaking over both vessels forces the lifeboat away as Brian Bevan makes his first approach. He comes in again and again, but only on the twelfth attempt can the mate jump on to the lifeboat.

Revi's bow is now below the waves, her stern clear of the water menacing the lifeboat if she dares come close. Her master hangs on to the stern rails, ready to jump. Nine times the lifeboat gets close but not close enough. On the tenth the stern soars 20ft clear of the water and plummets back towards the lifeboat's foredeck.

The coxswain's lightning reactions avert a total tragedy by inches.

Then three successive seas cover Revi completely - the water clears and the captain is still hanging on to the rails.

The ship is about to roll over and Bevan decides on a dash in a trough between two waves, driving in under the port quarter and striking the stern. The captain jumps and lands on the very edge of the lifeboat's deck. Five minutes later Revi rolls over and sinks..