Survivor snatched from yacht seconds before she sinks A service in very difficult weather conditions, carried out in full view of hundreds of local people and holiday-makers on the shore, has earned Barry Bennett, the coxswain of St Mary's Arun class lifeboat, the Institution's Bronze Medal. The service took place in heavy, breaking seas which were sweeping into a rock-strewn bay in which there was very little room to manoeuvre.Crew members Andrew Brown, Philip Roberts, Joseph Fender, Stephen Hicks and Andrew Ho wells have received medal service certificates for their parts in the rescue.

It was at 1645 on Sunday 12 September 1993 that the station honorary secretary heard that two yachts were at anchor in Forth Cressa Bay in worsening weather conditions, and that neither could be raised on the radio.

Forth Cressa bay is a recognised anchorage in offshore winds but the wind was ESE - into the small, shallow bay - and up to Severe Gale Force 9. A ground swell some 5m high was running, with a nasty breaking sea on top.

The yachts were in the worst possible anchorage in the conditions, which could only deteriorate as low water approached.

The SHS contacted the coxswain and informed Falmouth Coastguard, asking them to activate the crews' pagers.

Exposed By 1721 the station's Arun class lifeboat Robert Edgar was under way and leaving the shelter of St Mary's Roads for the short passage round to the exposed side of the island.

Forth Cressa Bay is open to the SE and very rocky, with an entrance just over a cable (approximately 200m) wide. Entering the bay the lifeboat came across the yacht Aurea which had cut her anchor warp and was attempting to head into deeper water. The assistant mechanic could not raise the yacht on VHP but managed to pass a message by loud hailer that the coxswain would provide a lee until the yacht was clear of the bay. The lone Frenchman aboard understood and the lifeboat escorted the yacht clear and saw her on her course for St Mary's.

The coxswain then took the lifeboat back into the bay and approached the 25ft Folkboat Bacarole which was still at anchor.

A man was sheltering in the stern, unwilling, it was learned later, to open thecabin doors in the terrible conditions.

During a lull the coxswain decided to pull the yacht clear into deeper water, but the yacht was at anchor well into the bay, inside the breakers and in very shallow water. She was lying across the sea and with an inflatable tender secured astern.

The lifeboat had only just over a metre of water under her keel in the troughs between the waves.

The coxswain backed down onto the casualty and after several attempts a heaving line was passed which the lone crew of the yacht made fast. Before the lifeboat crew could tell him to pull the heaving line in and take the tow line secured to it the coxswain had to manoeuvre the lifeboat over a set of large breaking seas, and the line parted.

The lifeboat was positioned so that another heaving line could be passed to Bacarole and the heavier tow line was being pulled in by the survivor when thecoxswain saw three large breaking seas bearing down on the lifeboat and yacht.

He broke through the waves safely, but the last one overwhelmed the yacht, knocked her flat and broke her mast. The assistant mechanic heard the mast break even though he was inside the wheelhouse with all the doors and hatches closed. The yacht evidently started taking water after her knock-down and began to settle in the water.

The coxswain ordered the line cut and told the crew that he was going to evacuate the survivor to the lifeboat. They went forward to prepare for the transfer, secured by their safety lines, and at times were up to their thighs in water as they waited for an opportunity to grab the survivor.

Abandoned The first approach was abandoned when the coxswain had to pull clear as breaking seas approached.

At the second attempt the coxswain put the port shoulder close to the yacht and as the lifeboat rolled to port in a heavy swell the survivor jumped. He was grabbed by the crew and only a minute later a series of breaking seas engulfed Bacarole and she sank.

The coxswain took the lifeboat back into deep water, and on her way back to the station she came upon the French yacht still making for shelter. Crew member Howells was put aboard her to help and she was escorted back to harbour.

Robert Edgar entered St Mary's harbour at 1800, landed the survivor, refuelled and was on her mooring ready for service again by 1825.

The survivor later said that he had not attempted to weigh anchor and motor clear of the bay as he considered that the small auxiliary engine would not have been man enough. His radio was down below and he was reluctant to unbatten the hatch and go below to answer calls..