Twelve Spanish fishermen lost their lives when their trawler sank in appalling weather off the west coast of Ireland. Just one man, 24-year-old Ricardo Garcia, was saved after the Welsh-registered Arosa hit rocks on 3 October last year..

The crew of the Aran Islands lifeboat were paged just after 5am following a request from the Valentia Coastguard. Unfortunately, a problem with the pager system meant that many of the crew failed to receive the call and just five men responded: second coxswain Patrick Mullen, who was acting coxswain, mechanic John Mulkerrin and crew members Joseph Gill, Aonghus Dillane and Wayne Stuart-Cole.

Nevertheless, the boat launched quickly as the crew knew that time was of the essence for the men on board the trawler.

The Arosa had been sailing in heavy seas when she got into difficulties near Skerd Rocks, 10 miles north west of Inntshmore, close to Slyne Head. This spot is well known to the lifeboat crew as extremely hazardous. It turned out that the trawler had sunk an area known as 'The Quarry' which is littered with submerged rocks. To make matters worse, the weather, which had been bad to start with, was deteriorating rapidly.

As the lifeboat made her way towards the last reported position of the vessel, they heard over the radio that the Shannon Coast Guard helicopter had located the vessel and picked up one survivor. As the helicopter rushed the survivor to Galway hospital, the lifeboat arrived on scene and started the arduous job of searching the heaving seas for signs of life.

After two hours' fruitless searching, the crew spotted a liferaft but this sadly proved to be empty. Almost two more hours passed before the first victim was located. The crew managed with great difficulty to bring his bodyaboard the lifeboat- An hour later a further body wa spotted and brought aboard.

The lifeboat continued to search all day with the help of Irish naval vessel Eithne and a local ferry. Th crew recovered one more body before steadily worsening weather and the crew's complete exhaustion forced them to return home.

They had been at sea for 14 hours in some of the worst conditions possible carrying out one of the most distressing tasks lifeboatmen will be asked to undertake.

Despite this, Patrick and John were determined not to give up. The next day they went out again, this time joined by crew members Vincent MacCarron, Stephen Kilmartin and Mairtin Coyne, ft further 11 hours searching in even worse weatherconditions revealed no further bodies. On the third day Patrick and John tried once more, accompanied again by Vincent and Mairtin, and joined by crew members Mairtin Fitzpatrick and Ronan Macgiollapharaic. Another rough day at sea found nothing more.

A further two bodies were located later but the other seven men remain missing presumed drowned. Survivor Ricardo Garcia was treated for hypothermia and shock before being reunited with his family.

This was a harrowing and arduous service with a tragic outcome, despite the outstanding efforts of the lifeboat crew. It had been Wayne's first time as part of the crew after volunteering only a short time before the rescue. Neither he nor 18-year-old Aonghus had faced such a grim task before and the other members of the crew did a marvellous job of maintaining morale during the long first day.

Fortunately, this sort of service is rare. Of over 6,000 services a year, the lifeboat is called out to recover those who have drowned just 60 times on average.

totheArosa 3 October 2000 0516 Irish Coast Guard receives report of sinking vessel 0517 Lifeboat crew paged 0602 Hibernia launches on service 0635 Irish Coast Guard helicopter recovers survivor 0640 Lifeboat arrives on scene 0845 Empty liferaft located 0855 Ferry Aran Seabird arrives to join search 1005 Liferaft recovered and secured on aft deck 1030 First body located and recovered 1130 Second body located and recovered 1410 Third body located and recovered 1745 Lifeboat heads for Rosaveal, Galway Bay 1918 Three bodies and liferaft landed at Rosaveal 2000 Lifeboat returns to Aran Islands boathouse 4 October 2000 0725 Lifeboat launches on service 1825 Lifeboat returns to Aran Islands boathouse 5 October 2000 1015 Lifeboat launches on service 1635 Lifeboat returns to Aran Islands boathouse THE LIFEBOAT Anjn class lifeboat OM-1150 Hibtrntt Built 1989 Cost £600.000 Funding A very generous donation from the Irish Sailor* and Soldier* L*nd Truft. which also provided funding toward* th« running of lifeboat* in Ireland THE CREW Thjmki of the Institution on Vellum Second Coxswain Patrick Mullen (or his 'dedication to fluty on the three Oays of a harrowing and arduous service' Joined crew 1993 Deputy 2nd Coxswain 1995 2nd Coxswain 1997 Co-swain 2001 Occupation Skipper Chairman'* Lettei ol Thank* Mechanic John Mulkemn tor his 'greal attention to duty' Chiel Executive'* Letter* olThanks and Vellum Service Certificates Craw Members Joseph Gill Aonghu* Dillane Wayne Stuart-Col* Operations Director s Collective Lett" of Appreciation Ciew Members Vincent MircCarron Stephen Kilmartin Mairtin Coyne Mairtin Fitzpatrick Ron en Macgiollapharaic ARAN ISLANDS STATION Established 1927 Pieviout Medals (some awarded before an RNLI Station was established) Silver 1830, 1837. 1847.

18511x21 Bronze 1938(17). 196SI.4] Thanks on Vellum. 1987.

HMtxSI THE CASUALTY 35m Spanish trawler ATOM Crew 13.