Four saved .as their boat is destroyedOn the evening of Saturday, 24 February, four sailors were completing their journey from Liverpool to Rhyl, They were approaching Rhyl when they started to " have trouble with their engine. They cut the engine to wait for the tide to come in but then found that they couldn't restart it. The boat drifted into the surf, blown by an onshore wind. As the weather worsened, waves were crashing against the side of the fishing vessel and as water started to come over the side, the men decided they needed help.The all-weather lifeboat was launched and headed towards the last known position of the casualty. As she neared the vessel, the crew could see a torch signalling to them. The Dragonfly was lying close inshore on the far side of a large sandbank. A heavy surf was breaking on the bank and the Dragonfly was being battered by heavy seas as her bow and stern were bottoming out in the shallow water, Coxswain Peter Robinson realised that the lifeboat would not be able to approach over the bank, so requested the launch of the D class. Just a few minutes later the ILB was launched from the nearby beach and approached the Mersey to receive instructions, Martin Jones had been on board the all-weather lifeboat when she launched but he now transferred to the D class and took over the helm from Derek Denton. Jason Stopforth, who was on his first nightservice, took the towline from the Mersey and the D class set off for the casualty.

As the D class passed over the bank, the shallow water caused even rougher seas and three large, breaking waves completely swamped the ILB as Martin struggled with the controls. 'The very strong onshore wind, combined with the shallow water on top of the bank, causing breaking surf, made conditions difficult,' Martin recalled. He needed both hands to control the tiller arm and all his skill and experience to cope in the surging seas.

As the lifeboat approached the casualty, the crew realised that the towline was not long enough to reach. To make matters worse, the violent movement of the ILB in the rough seas had meant that large bights of towline were lying in the water, in danger of fouling the propeller. Derek climbed outof the safety of the lifeboat into the waist-deep water on the bank. As the ILB stood by, illuminating him in the light of a torch, Derek struggled to untangle the heavy lines, finally freeing them safely.

However, the crew of the Dragonfly was now in serious trouble. Two enormous waves had broken over the boat, virtually filling the wheelhouse where the four crew members were sheltering. The pounding of the waves on the fishing vessel had also taken their toll and she appeared to be foundering.

Martin decided that he had to take the crew off as fast as possible.

With Derek back on board. Martin headed for the Dragonfly, which was now listing heavily to port. He took the lifeboat in under her lee and the first two casualties leapt from the Dragonfly into the safety of the D class. Before the other two could follow, a huge wave pushed the inflatable away from the stricken boat. Martin fought to regain control and went back in. The final two men jumped into the lifeboat and Martin immediately turned her around and headed away.'The casualties were very grateful.' remembered Martin. 'They had been at see for over six hours and were very cold.' Because of the poor state of the casualties, Martin turned the lifeboat straight back towards the beach, 400m away, while Derek and Jason treated the casualties for hypothermia. When the boat landed at the beach, the Coastguard and the lifeboat trailer were waiting. The lifeboat was loaded onto the trailer with the casualties still on board and hurried back to the boathouse. Although the trip only took around 15 minutes, one of the casualties lapsed into unconsciousness and the other three were also in a bad way.Back at the boathouse the four men were kept warm until the ambulance arrived five minutes later.

The two casualties in the worst condition were taken to hospital while the other two waited for a second ambulance, which arrived five minutes later.

Fortunately all four men made a full recovery and were released from hospital the next day.THE LIFEBOAT Mersey Class lifeboat ON 1183 Lil Cunningham Built: 1W2 Cost: C650.000 Funding: A generous gift Irom Miit Salty Cunningham of Derby in memory of her sister D class lifeboat D-485 Stafford with Rugtlty Built: 1995 Cost. ni.OOO Funding: An appeal by Stafford and Rugeley branch THE CREW Chair ma n't Latter of Thank i Mechanic Martin Jonei for his 'boat-handling skill, leadership and decision making in vefy rough conditions' Joined craw: 1987 Assistant Mechanic: 1991 Mechanic- 1994 Deputy Second Coxswain/Mechanic: 1997 Occupation: Full-time RNLI Deputy Second Co i iwa i n / Mech i nic Joint Operations Director's Letter of Thanks The Station honorary secretary, coxswain, crow and shoretalpers of fthyt lifeboat station Coxswain Peter Robinson Second Coxswawi Paul Archer-Jones Second Mechanic Paul Frost Third Mechanic Jimmy Quinn ALB Clew Members Dana Jones Dart ell Graham Helmsman Derek Demon ILB Cr«w Member Jason Stoplorih HHYL LJFE1OAT STATION Established: 18M Previous Medals Silver 1962 Bronif 1973 Thanks on Vellum: 197*1x3) THE CASUALTY 15m fishing vessel Dragonfly Crew: Four THECONOmONS Wind: NNE Force 6 Sea State: 1 Sm sw«ll and heavy, breaking surf.