Determination in appalling conditions saves four 1-iftbtial.

Coxswain/Mechanic Ian Firman was awarded the RNLI's Bronze medal, and his six-man crew received medal service certificates, following a hazardous rescue of four crew from a disabled yacht in stormy seas off the Suffolk coast.Ian was expecting Sunday 28 May to be a routine day. He was at Aldeburgh lifeboat station with Second Mechanic Allan Warner carrying out planned maintenance to the station's Mersey class lifeboat Freddie Cooper. As they worked, they monitored the VHP radio, and realised that there was a yacht in difficulties nearby.

Steering failed in appalling conditions The Netherlands-registered yacht Rose Bank was having trouble maintaining her course, caused partly by a problem with the steering system and partly by the dreadful weather conditions. Her skipper was trying to run for the shelter of Harwich Haven but the steering problem was making this impossible. When the yacht was seven miles east of Aldeburgh lifeboat station, the skipper called for assistance. As the weather conditions were getting worse, the deputy launching authority decided to launch both the Freddie Cooper from Aldeburgh and the Severnclass lifeboat Fraser Flyer, which was on relief duty at nearby Harwich lifeboat station.

The Freddie Cooper was launched at 1038 with a seven-man crew; Coxswain/Mechanic Ian Firman, Deputy Second Coxswain Lee Firman, Joint Assistant Mechanic Allan Warner and Crew Members Jason Burns. Andrew Burns, John Andrews and Christopher Spooner. 'I thought that from the first position of the casualty, seven miles east of the station, that it was going to be an ordinary job', recalls Ian. The Fraser Flyer had launched some six minutes earlier, under the command of Coxswain Peter Dawson.

Contact with yacht lost The Aldeburgh lifeboat headed east in a moderate northerly swell and fair visibility, but as she cleared the lee of the Suffolk coast, the weather worsened and the wind rose. The coxswain was making continuous efforts to contact the yacht, but with no success. Contact with the yacht had also been lost by the Coastguard, so the lifeboat headed for the yacht's last known position, hoping that contact could be made in time.

After about 30 minutes at sea, the lifeboat reached the yacht's reported position, but there was no sign of another vessel. The crew was preparing for a long and difficult search when the Coastguard finally regained contact. The Rose Bank was seven miles east, further out to sea.

The lifeboat kept on going and before long managed to get in touch with the yacht. At this point it emerged that she was yet another six miles further east of the second reported position and was now some 20 miles offshore in atrocious conditions.

She had been running with the sea with her sails down and the auxiliary engine in gear to minimise movement on deck; the easiest course for her to maintain with her damaged steering. The lifeboat had, in effect, been involved in a 'stern chase', following directly behind the casualty. Itwas almost midday when she finally reached the disabled yacht some 22 miles from land.

'The weather worsened all the passage to the casualty and at times the underlying swell from the night's wind made the evacuation more difficult.' Coxswain/Mechanic Ian Firman Ian tried to get the crew to come round into the sea so that a tow could be passed, but language problems meant that it took several radio messages before the crew understood. The yacht altered course, but in 6m breaking seas with a wind across deck of over 50 knots, blinded by spray and with defective steering, keeping an accurate course was impossible.

Battling to secure a tow Ian decided to try to establish a tow using a speedline rocket unit, so the lifeboat did not have to get too close to the casualty. The line was fired to the yacht but, just as the towline was almost secure, the yacht's skipper lost control and the tow had to be cut before it parted and caused an injury. A second attempt was needed, using the Freddie Cooper's last remaining speedline.

The speedline was fired and blown into the rigging at the top of the mast. The towline was brought down to deck level while the lifeboat motored ahead to commence the tow. However, the yacht's crew were unable to secure the tow far enough forward, as the seas had now risen to 7-8m, and as they struggled to fasten the line they again lost their grip and the tow went overboard.

Forced to abandon ship Faced now with the two failures to secure the tow, and the appalling sea conditions, Ian and the yacht's skipper agreed to abandon ship. By this time the Harwich lifeboat had reached the scene, but Coxswain Dawson agreed that the Aldeburgh lifeboat should be the one to transfer the crew as it had experience of how the yacht handled. The plan was for the yacht's crew to be picked up while her skipper kept the yacht on course and the Harwich lifeboat kept station astern to recover anyone who fell overboard.

Once the survivors were clear, the skipper would take to the liferaft and be recovered by the Harwich lifeboat.On the first two attempts the crew couldn't transfer to the lifeboat because of the yacht's violent pitching but on the third attempt two of the crew made it across, with the third crew member making it across on the fourth attempt. Because of the success of these transfers, Ian decided to recover the skipper in the same way and somade a fifth approach. As the lifeboat came alongside, the skipper put the yacht's helm to port and made a rush for the port quarter where he grabbed and pulled aboard by the lifeboat crew.

With the crew safely aboard, the yacht was abandoned and the Freddie Cooper headed for home, escorted by the Harwich lifeboat.

radio '/ told one of the yacht's crew I was sorry not to save their yacht. He replied he was just happy to be going home that night.' Coxswain/Mechanic Ian Firman Fortunately the rescued crew did not need to go to hospital and were driven to the ferry port after spending some time recovering in the Aldeburgh boathouse.

The yacht was found the following day.

still afloat and under way, in the approaches to the Thames Estuary.

'With your own life in danger, you managed to get (the crew} from Rose Bank without even one injury. I want to thank you again and again for the rescue of my beloved ones and their friends.' Rikki Kolkman-van Staveren Wife and mother of rescued crew *The Lifeboat Mersey class ON 1193 Cooper AsMtting Lifebo»t Severn class ON 1237 fraser Flyer The Crew Sfqnre Medal Coxswain/Mechanic Ian Finnan for his 'courage, firm and decisive leadership and his so uno" display ol seamanship' Medal Service Certificate Deputy Second Coxswain La* Firman Joint Assistant Mechanic Allan Warner Crew Members Jason Burn* Andrew Burns John Andrews Christopher Spooner Director's Letter $f Thanks Harwich lifeboat station Aldehurgh shore crew.