At 0115, my OOW informed me that we had received a Mayday Relay call on VHF 1MM Ch16, which put the fishing Vessel declaring the distress about 40 nm ESE of Great Yarmouth CG and turned towards the FV. FV VROUWE GREITVE, a 40m long trawler had lost a man overboard in the conditions we described, who was wearing yellow oilskins and Wellington boots, but no life jacket.
A Sea King rescue helicopter from RAF/MANSTON c/s Rescue 166 was en route, and the RNLI at GORLESTON and CAISTER were also responding. Sea conditions meant NOTTINGHAM arrived at the datum at 0145Z where several fishermen were now also searching.
I became On Scene SAR Commander with the FVs, and by now, several merchant ships, ranging from ferries, dredgers, Ro-Ro vessels and tankers. All of us were substantially built vessels, yet having great difficulty in manoeuvring for a search in the prevailing conditions. GORLESTON lifeboat had needed to turn back. However the CAlSTER lifeboat continued to make way into all of this, and on raising his blue light we were able to vector him onto the scene of the search - a 7 mile area SE of the datum promulgated by Great Yarmouth CC and agreed by me as the area of probability in which a man would drift to if fortunate enough to stay on the surface.
To me the lifeboat looked like a ‘BREDE’ class, and it was clear it was working at the very limits of if not beyond, its operating envelope, yet the Coxswain remained a cheerful voice on VHF with an incredible sense of determined professionalism towards the search. Indeed my people were simply amazed as to how this small craft had managed to get onto the scene. He sensibly elected to stay near me as we swept through the area and must have been extremely uncomfortable in the conditions as time and again he regularly disappeared beneath the high waves, and turning across the sea must have been particularly dangerous. One of my Bridge team was detailed to keep the lifeboat sighted.
Throughout this incident your people showed incredible bravery and stamina - indeed just getting there and risking their own necks against the slimmest of chances of finding the MOB alive are testimony to their courage. Whilst I know this is part of the RNLI creed, in any persons book, this was, at its least an extraordinary effort and feat of seamanship, and certainly a very brave and sensitive response to save the life of a fellow seafarer. Whether or not your organisation chooses to recognise the CAISTER team for some appropriate form of award is within your gift, and I never did get the Coxswains name; but I should be grateful if you would pass on the admiration and respect from all in HMS NOTTINGHAM to them. If nothing else, you may find a few more coins in the lifeboat slot next time one of my men goes past a collection box.