Rescue Story

"Routine Callouts"

I cannot immediately interest you in a dramatic rescue story carried out by the Isle of Barra Coastguard Team, as fortunately such events are rare. However, life is not dull as following analysis of activity in the 12 months to 29 Feb 2000 shows:

Preparation of Helicopter Landing Site 6

Pollution Report 1

Items washed up on the Beach 3

Flare sightings 2

Assistance with injured crew etc. 4

Public relations 3

Training events 13

Total 32

Considering the population of Barra is only 1300 approximately an "event" on average every 10 days seems not inconsiderable.

Callout for the Isle of Barra Coastguard Team

In the past the Isle of Barra Coastguard Team has been called out to various tragedies involving both boats and planes but the following account from the log book of 6th October 1997 is more typical.

" Called out by Stornoway Coastguard at 2000 hours as a white twenty foot clinker built local fishing boat with a single crew member aboard had set out to go fishing at lunchtime and was expected to return by 1700. The boat, which had an inboard engine, had not arrived back nor had it made any radio contact with shore, so a relative of the fisherman had contacted Stornoway Coastguard.

Stornoway Coastguard had called out Barra Life Boat, the Helicopter and Isle of Barra Coastguard Team. Three local fishing vessels, Reul-Na-Maidne, Spray and White Rose also voluntarily joined the search. The Coastguard travelled to Bruernish and split up into 2 teams to search the cliff tops and shore for signs of the missing vessel. By the time we arrived the Lifeboat was on scene and the Helicopter was doing a grid search of the immediate offshore area. Some flares were fired to illuminate the area (but only after informing the Helicopter as flares can cause them a highly dangerous loss of night vision if they are in the vicinity). A number of members of the public joined in to help the coastguard search teams).

At approximately 2200 hours the helicopter located the fishing boat with its anchors secured and the crewman safe and uninjured (but extremely cold). The engine on the fishing boat had failed and the crewman had decided to make the boat secure and wait till he was seen in the morning by other boats on their way out to the fishing grounds. Barra Lifeboat towed the fishing vessel into NorthBay harbour and the helicopter returned to base in Stornoway. After checking on the physical condition of the fisherman when he had arrived in NorthBay the Isle of Barra Coastguard team were stood down and returned to Castlebay at 2330 hours."

On this occasion the search was relatively brief but on occasions it can last for over 24 hours and the fatigue of the searchers soon becomes a very important consideration before they themselves become casualties. Wind chill can very rapidly cool the fittest of people.

A Cornish Rescue By The Coastguard

On some occasions the role of the Coastguard Auxiliary service can be crucial to the lives of the casualties as the following example which was honored with the Chief Coastguard commendation in 1998 on the cliffs of North Cornwall. Ken Richards, the Station Officer of the Port Isaac Coastguard Team also the Station Officer of the Boscastle CRT received a commendation for Meritorious Service from the Chief Coastguard John Astbury

A twelve-year-old boy was washed out to sea from a area of rocks or from the beach. This occurred during very poor sea conditions, as there was a heavy swell from the NW that produced very large surf around the rocks. Hence access was impossible. The boy's father was on the beach and swam in after him, but although he was able to rescue the boy, they could not get back to the beach and were washed into a cave. The local inshore lifeboat attempted to rescue 2 casualties, but due to the sea conditions, the lifeboat capsized, and 2 crewmembers were washed also into the same cave as the original casualties. It took several hours before the Coastguard could get to the casualties during which time the extent of their injuries and, indeed, if they were still alive, was not known. All four casualties were saved by the Auxiliary Teams' efforts and they did not suffer any serious injury.

Chief Coastguard's Commendation

Here is the exact text of the Chief Coastguard's Commendation for Ken Richards work on 6th September 1998: -

I Hereby Commend

Ken Richards

Station Officer

Port Isaac Coastguard Response Team

For:

Meritorious Service

For his leadership and on scene co-ordination during the rescue of four people trapped in a cove at Benoath Cove on 6th September 1998.

During the late afternoon of 6th September 1998 MRCC Falmouth received a 999 telephone call reporting a child and his father in difficulties in the sea at Benoath Cove, Bossiney. Helicopter Rescue 169, Padstow Lifeboat, Port Isaac Inshore Lifeboat and the Coastguard Response Teams from Boscastle and Port Isaac were tasked to the area. Before they arrived on scene it was reported that the two casualties were now trapped in a tidal cove below the cliff path.

Despite rough sea conditions, the Port Isaac Inshore Lifeboat attempted to enter the mouth of the cave, but in doing so two crewmembers were thrown out of the boat, and swept into the cave; the third was rescued from the boat by helicopter before the boat, too, was washed into the cave.

Coastguard Response Teams from Bude, Polzeath and St Agnes, and helicopter rescue 193 were sent to Bossiney to back up those already on scene. The Coastguard Teams made several rescue attempts, but due to the extremely rough weather it was not possible to lower anyone into the cave. Eventually, just after 2100 the tide had ebbed sufficiently for the two cliff men from the Coastguard Response Teams to enter the cave and escort all four casualties to safety.

From the time that he arrived on scene, Ken Richards, the Port Isaac Station Officer, took on the role of On Scene Commander. There can be no doubt that his calming influence and positive leadership played a major part in ensuring that all the emergency services worked closely together, and prevented further injuries occurring in what was, potentially, an extremely hazardous operation.

Many thanks for the details about the Bossiney rescue from Syd Turner DDC HM Coastguard in Falmouth.