Four rescued in gale from stranded yacht The Director of the RNLI, Lt Cdr Brian Miles, has written to the honorary secretary of Lytham St Annes lifeboat station, Frank Kilroy, to congratulate the crew 'on a first class service in the best traditions of the lifeboat service'.

The service took place on 12 April 1992 when the Lytham St Annes Tyne class lifeboat Sarah Emily Harrop was launched to the rescue of four crew aboard the 23ft sailing yacht Wyvern, which was in difficulties after losing her steering in a Force 7 wind and heavy seas.

A member of the public had noticed the yacht in difficulties in heavybreaking surf in the River Ribble estuary and had phoned the boathouse.

At almost the same time, the yacht called the coastguard on VHP radio asking for assistance.

The lifeboat launched on service at 1905 in rough conditions, with the wind Force 7 to Gale Force 8 from the WNW, the sea state 5, and a swell of 2m to 3m. Twenty minutes after launching Sarah Emily Harrop located the yacht on a sandbank, being pounded by waves. Her rudder was locked to port and the tiller broken.

Coxswain Andrew Ashton made two approaches to the casualty, attempting to keep the lifeboat head-tosea in the shallow waters and confused breaking seas. On both attempts, the lifeboat touched bottom before reaching the yacht.

At this point a particularly large wave hit the yacht on her cabin top, knocking her down until both of her bilge keels showed. However, this wave did have a benefit, for as it receded it carried both the casualty and the lifeboat into deeper water.

On his third approach the coxswain went astern towards the casualty and succeeded in positioning the lifeboat within 5ft of the yacht.

This enabled Second Coxswain/ Mechanic Tony West to throw a line from the stern of the lifeboat onto the yacht at the first attempt, ensuring that no floating lines or other debris fouled the lifeboat's twin propellers.

With the line in place, Wyvern was towed out to deeper water some 2 miles offshore, then back to Lytham.

She was safely berthed on the lifeboat's reserve mooring at 1940 when the survivors were landed, suffering from seasickness and exposure.

The lifeboat was refuelled and ready for service again at 2055.

In his letter of congratulations, the Institution's Director wrote, 'In difficult seas the coxswain displayed great skill in manoeuvring the lifeboat to within the heaving line distance of the casualty and all crew members worked well as a team'..