Three saved from dismasted catamaran in storm conditionsP) lymouth's Arun class City of Plymouth made headline news locally when she went to the aid of the 35ft catamaran Myros. which had been dismasted in storm force winds on Thursday 28 August 1997. During the five hours she was at sea the winds barely dropped below 45 knots.

Visibilty was severely restricted by heavy rainsqualls swept along by the Force 10 westerly and the lifeboat could not locate the catamaran in her reported position just a mile off the Mewstone outside Plymouth Harbour.

The lifeboat could not use her VHP direction finder as the casualty had lost her radio aerial when the mast came down and she had contacted the coastguard by mobile phone. With no radio contact possible the crew resorted to calling the casualty back on her mobile... and after a moment of worry when the call appeared to be diverted they were at last able to speak to Myros.

Although she fired flares at the lifeboat's request Myros could still not be seen, so the phone was used again to ask her for ^ the last position she had received from her satellite navigation system before - losing the aerial.

This put the casualty about five miles - to the west in Bigbury Bay, where she ~ was soon located when the search was - diverted.

In very heavy seas the lifeboat came ".

alongside twice, once to put crew •• members aboard and again to take off a 'r, female member of the yacht's crew, -~ before Myros was towed slowly back to the safety of Plymouth's Mayflower Marina. So severe were the weather conditions in the area that the tow took some three-and-a-half hours..