Six survivors snatched from yacht in Force 9 gale and heavy seas A service to a 50ft yacht by St Peter Port's Arun class lifeboat Sir William Arnold in atrocious weather conditions resulted in media headlines throughout the country - and a Silver medal for coxswain Peter Bisson and eight Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum for the members of the crew, two of whom were injured during the rescue.

The crew were: second coxswain JohnBougard, mechanic James Youlton, assistant mechanic Keith Martel and crew members Robert Hamon, Philip Martel, Gary Cook, Andrew Le Provost and Vincent Helmot.

Divisional inspector of lifeboats for the South West, John Unwin, remarked in his official report that 'the conditions were extreme... without the coxswain's quick response, skill and bravery when the mizzen came down there would have been more serious injury and possibly loss of life.' He also praised the crew for the excellent way in which they ensured that the service was a success, clearing the decks and transferring the injured crew, then going back to the casualty.

Contact The 52ft Arun class lifeboat Sir William Arnold had first launched at 2350 on 29 August 1992, following a report that another yacht, the 23ftW7n'sfcy Mac, was in difficulty NE of Guernsey. She headed north-east up the Little Russel (the passage to the east of Guernsey) at full speed in a SSW Force 7 wind, rough seas and poor visibility. However, the lifeboat station's honorary secretary, Captain Tim Spencer, did not believe that the casualty was in the reported position as the only vessel which could contact her was well to the north. Alderney Harbour Office could receive a weak radio signal and asked the yacht to fire a flare at 0030 and then every ten minutes thereafter.

At 0025 Alderney's Waveney class lifeboat, Louis Marches! of Round Table, launched and headed south west downthe Swinge (the western side of the island) in a SSW Force 8, gusting 9. Both lifeboats saw the flares at 0030 and 0040 - establishing that Whisky Mac was, in fact, well to the north of Alderney.

At this moment a very broken Mayday was received from the 50ft yacht Sena Sioria, some 20 miles NW of the Hanois lighthouse, on the south-west tip of Guernsey.

St Peter Port radio asked Sir William Arnold to proceed to Sena Sioria while Alderney lifeboat handled Whisky Mac (see separate story - right).

At 0104 the St Peter Port lifeboat altered course and headed for the new position at full speed, while the SHS telephoned Falmouth coastguard to request helicopter assistance.

At 0150, with the wind now between SSW and SW at Force 7 to 8 gusting Force 9 and running against a 4 knot tide, the lifeboat managed to obtain a DF bearing and arrived on scene 15 minutes later.

The yacht was laying across wind and tide and rolling violently in a very rough sea with a 12ft to 15ft swell and breaking crests.Although the coxswain, Peter Bisson, knew a helicopter was due in 15 minutes he realised that air-lifting the casualties would be too difficult in view of the conditions and the fact that the yacht's mizzen had split and was flapping wildly and the foresail was shredded. He decided to evacuate the people aboard, appraaching the casualty's port quarter to allow the lifeboat crew to snatch the survivors as the lifeboat lay in against her.

Alarm The coxswain and second coxswain went to the upper steering position while the remainder of the crew with the exception of the mechanic, who manned the radio and told the casualty of the plan of action, went on the foredeck.

At 0215 the coxswain made his first run in and the lifeboat crew managed to get three people aboard before the coxswain had to back off.

The second run was aborted, the position was not right and the steering motor alarm sounded. The mechanic went to the engine room and found the drive beltof one motor had burned through, probably because water driving through the starboard engine room air intake had caused it to slip. The mechanic stayed in the engine room, operating the bilge pumps by hand, and at this moment two alternator control boxes and an alternator burnt out, the intake fan filled with water and tripped and the deckhead lining was being washed down.

On the third run the foredeck crew grabbed three more survivors. One jumped for the lifeboat still attached to the yacht by a safety line, but the lifeboat crew held him while one of the yacht's crew undipped the line.

At this moment, at around 0220, the coxswain saw the mizzen mast begin to fall towards the lifeboat and started to back away at full power. The mast landed on the foredeck, enveloping his crew in the rigging, which was still attached to the yacht. As the lifeboat backed off at full speed the crew were being dragged forward against stanchions and rails.

Injured The coxswain could see two of his crew lying on the deck, obviously in great pain, and went ahead again to put the lifeboat back alongside the yacht's quarter while the debris was cleared and the injured tended. All crew members had suffered varying degrees of bruising.

With the foredeck clear the coxswain backed away, handing over to the second coxswain to run slowly down wind while the situation was assessed.

There were still three people aboardthe yacht, but she was not sinking and could wait while the coxswain decided on his next move. Radio contact was established with the helicopter, which was due in ten minutes, and it was decided to air-lift the two injured crew members to hospital. With the coxswain back at the wheel the helicopter began lifting the injured men at 0230 - an extremely hazardous operation with the lifeboat moving violently in the rough seas and one which took a full hour.

At one point the helicopter winchman and crew member Gary Cook (in a stretcher) were attached to the wire when the lifeboat dropped about 15ft into a trough. The winchman somersaulted over the guardrail, clinging on with one hand, and the stretcher and Gary Cook were lifted 15ft into the air before being slammed back onto the foredeck as the lifeboat lifted on the next wave. Despite the immense difficulties morale aboard was high - as crew member Vincent Helmot was taken forward in the stretcher for the second lift, one of the crew shouted to the remaining crew in a 'stage whisper' not to tell him what happened during the first lift, raising a laugh despite the drama.

Jump The lifeboat stood by as the helicopter left for Guernsey at 0330 and awaited its return at about 0430. The pilot briefed the yacht crew to jump into the water one at a time while the lifeboat laid off ready to illuminate the survivors in the water.

The first lift from the sea took approximately ten minutes as the winchman had difficulty closing with the man in the water but eventually all three men were winched to safety and flown to Guernsey.

At 0515 the St Peter Port lifeboat began her passage back to station, which was uneventful except for the water entering the engine room which kept the mechanic below to monitor the situation.

On arrival at St Peter Port harbour the six survivors were taken to hospital for a check up, but there were no injuries except for a possible minor ankle injury.

The lifeboat crew refuelled the lifeboat and took her to the marina for inspection where they all turned-to and cleaned up the mess in the forecabin and aftercabin where the survivors had been violently ill.

The mechanic and assistant mechanic cleaned up the engine room and started repairs and Sir William Arnold was off service for just one-and-a-half-hours while the work was carried out.

Crew Member Gary Cook was kept in hospital for 24 hours but both injured men have made a full recovery. The yacht was later located north of Cap de la Hague and towed to Alderney by a fishing vessel..