The lifeboat was in the water minutes later. A red parachute flare had been sighted whilst the boat was being pushed down the beach at a position about two and a half miles ESE of the station. This was followed by a hand-held red flare, whilst the lifeboat was proceeding to the casualty. Geoffrey Freeman, radio operator, made radio contact with the “Sequina”, who reported that they were listing over and taking in water. A bearing was taken on the direction finder, subsequently the “Sequina” reported that she had capsized.
Geoffrey Freeman then advised that the crew of the yacht should try to keep by the vessel. Radio contact was then lost. As Dick Thurlow tried to find his way across the sandbank in complete darkness the lifeboat’s searchlights were brought into action, continually sweeping across the broken water for people who might be in the water. The one advantage that the Coxswain had as he eased the “Bernard Matthews” across the bank, was his knowledge of the shallow channel that had been used in the past on previous missions. It was soon apparent that there was very little water left to manoeuvre in, as the lifeboat was being bounced on the hard sands of Scroby. Suddenly, in the spray, the “Sequina” was visible. It was lying on its side with mast and sails causing additional problems for the lifeboat to get in close to the casualty. The yacht, which had reported that it was on the east side of the sands, had been knocked on to the bank by the swell, and on scene a south-east force 7 which had moderated force 5-6 was blowing with a thick, misty rain. The “Sequina” was lying with her bow facing south with a 75 degree list, the boom was sticking into the sands which had stopped the vessel totally capsizing. The crew, two men and two women, were standing on the starboard rail in the cockpit and assisting each other to hang on, as the sea was breaking over the yacht and a strong ebb tide and sweep were running past the vessel.
The Coxswain attempted to get the lifeboat close to the wreck three times but each time it was swept away, constantly bouncing on the sands. On the fourth attempt he rammed the lifeboat in to the wreck and the lifeboat crew pulled the survivors from the wreck over the bow of the lifeboat. Dick Thurlow managed to hold the lifeboat in position throughout by the power of the engines, with the port engine ahead and starboard engines astern. The lifeboat then cleared the wreck and with even less water on the bank headed into the swatchway, Dick Thurlow by this time was very exhausted as he was waiting to go into hospital for an operation on his arm. He therefore handed the wheel to John Cannell, acting 2nd Coxswain, who brought the lifeboat into the Yarmouth roads. An ambulance was requested to meet with the lifeboat at the Gorleston lifeboat station as the condition of one of the survivors was causing concern as she was suffering from hypothermia and shock.
As the “Bernard Matthews” approached the harbour Dick Thurlow took over the helm and the lifeboat moored up to the Quay at Gorleston. The lady was passed into the care of the Ambulance Service, and the other survivors were taken to the Seaman’s Mission, where the Manager, John Cooper, had organised hot food and drinks for everybody involved. At daylight the lifeboat returned to the sandbank and, with a rising tide, salvaged the crew’s belongings with the help of the Caister inshore lifeboat “Jim Davidson”. With more water over the sands and vastly improved weather conditions the “Sequina” was pulled clear of the sands but despite all attempts to save her, the vessel sank and became another victim of the Scroby sands.
The crew of the lifeboat were Richard Thurlow, Coxswain, John Cannell, acting 2nd Coxswain, Nigel Trett, mechanic, Geoffrey Freeman, radio operator, Steve Parsons, Mick Nutt, Ivan Jones, Colin Goodley and inshore lifeboat crew Tom Frost and Paul Williams.