Silver Medal Service To The Yacht "Rasmus"

Ramsgate lifeboat Coxswain Ronald Cannon was awarded the Royal National Lifeboat Institutions Silver Medal for bravery and Emergency Mechanic Timothy Hurst and crew member Lance Oram awarded the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum, for the rescue of three crew from a dismasted yacht aground on the treacherous Goodwin Sands in atrocious weather conditions on 9 November 1999.

 

Seven other volunteer crew members received a medal certificate and badge. They are Alan Bray, Ian Cannon, Christopher Andrews, Raymond Noble, James Barth, Brett Pocock and Wayne Goldfinch.

 

 

Both Ramsgate’s all-weather and inshore lifeboats launched to go to the aid of the yacht Rasmus, which was aground on Goodwin Knoll. The weather conditions were Force 7 with a very rough sea. The inshore lifeboat launched despite the conditions being in excess of its operating limits, because its shallow draught would be needed to reach the yacht on the Sands.

 

Coxswain Cannon and his crews not only rescued the three people onboard the yacht, one of whom had head injuries, but later returned to tow the disabled yacht which was posing a threat to other shipping.

 

In his official report, Deputy Divisional Inspector Allen Head says, "This service was conducted in weather that in normal seas would not present a major problem to lifeboats, however due to the nature of the Goodwin Sands and the effect of’ shallow water, this had a dramatic worsening effect on the rescue. Coxswain Cannon demonstrated enormous courage, determination and seamanship during this service, which each member of the crew has made a point of commenting upon. His local knowledge and diligence as a lifeboat coxswain enabled him to assess the situation quickly and decide a suitable rescue plan whilst under intense pressure from the conditions and time. His ship handling skills paved second to none and his precise positioning of the lifeboat alongside the yacht enabled his crew to carry out the rescue quickly and with as little risk to themselves as possible. The crew of both lifeboats worked extremely well throughout the service and their forethought and courage proved a vital asset in the rescue of the three survivors. During conditions, which made voice communication impossible, they worked as a team and overcame the obstacles placed before them. All can be justly proud of their contribution to this service".

 

 

A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE SERVICE TO THE YACHT RASMUS ON 9 NOVEMBER 1999.

At 2002 on 9 November 1999 Falmouth Coastguard received an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon alert, which told them that the 61 ft yacht Rasmus was aground on Goodwin Knoll, approximately four miles south east of Ramsgate. At 2008 Dover Coastguard received a Mayday message from the yacht. Subsequently a merchant ship, a RN warship and two 999 calls reported red flares in the vicinity of the Goodwin Sands, Dover Coastguard requested the launch of the Ramsgate lifeboat. Pager and maroon assembled both the inshore and all-weather lifeboat crews.

The weather was cloudy, wind northerly Force 7, good visibility and a rough sea which had built up over a few days of windy weather, the sea swell was approximately 2 metres in the vicinity of Ramsgate Harbour and this increased to approximately 3 metres at the casualty. The wind was causing spindrift on the top of the waves and it was dark.

Upon arrival at the boathouse, Coxswain Ronald Cannon, knowing the area where the casualty was reported, advised the launch of both the all-weather Trent class lifeboat (ALB) and the Atlantic 21 inshore lifeboat (ILB). The weather conditions exceeded the operational limits of the ILB, but due to the shallow water in the vicinity of the casualty, Coxswain Cannon required a shallow draughted vessel to assist in the service. Coxswain Cannon briefed the helmsman of the ILB, Lance Oram, prior to launch, to remain with the ALB at all times due to the strong winds and rough sea state.

The lifeboats launched at 2025. As they left Ramsgate harbour a red parachute flare was sighted by the crew’s and this confirmed the position of the casualty as near the North Goodwin Buoy.

At 2041 the lifeboats reached the position of the North Goodwin Buoy. Due to sea clutter on the radar of the ALB, no vessels could he detected at close range. However, from the upper steering position of the ALB, a faint light could he seen intermittently amongst waves in the vicinity of the Goodwin Knoll sands. White parachute flares and searchlights were used by both crews and with the aid of the night vision sight, the faint light was confirmed as the yacht’s cabin light. The casualty was approximately half a mile east of the lifeboats and was periodically covered by waves. The yacht could be seen to be upright with the mast folded onto its deck and hanging over the starboard side into the water. It was being buffeted violently by the waves and there was no sign of any persons onboard. The main concern at this stage was the severe risk of it being capsized by the heavy seas. Anyone on board needed to be located immediately.

The direct route to the casualty was half a mile cast, but would leave the lifeboats on a lee shore, up wind and up tide of the casualty. This would not only be a very dangerous position for the lifeboats but would also render them both useless if the casualty was bounced by the waves off the sands to the south leaving both lifeboats to the north. Using his extensive local knowledge and experience, Coxswain Cannon decided to track south along the western edge of the Goodwin Knoll until the water was deep enough to cross east into the deeper channel within the horseshoe shaped sandbank. This would enable the lifeboats to make an approach to the casualty, bow into the surf and to the leeward edge of the sands and yet still be able to reach the yacht should she be washed off to the south.

Coxswain Cannon took the lifeboats south. None of the sandbanks were visible making progress treacherous as the waves, swell and spray hid the dangers below. During this passage south, away from the casualty, the crew of the lifeboats maintained visual contact with the casualty using searchlights and white parachute flares. The Goodwin Sands move daily with each tide and as a result are poorly charted. Due to this constant change, Coxswain Cannon regularly exercises the lifeboats around them and has gained vital knowledge of this unforgiving area. Having made his way south Coxswain Cannon altered course to the east and cautiously made his way across the sandbank. The ALB grounded several times during this easterly leg but Coxswain Cannon was aware of the lifeboats capabilities and could not afford any more time spent travelling further south into deeper water. The casualty was barely visible at this stage as it was swamped by waves and it was vital not to lose contact with it. Having crossed the quarter of a mile sandbank both lifeboats entered the slightly deeper channel, which was approximately 4 metres deep and still treacherous.

At 2045 both lifeboats approached the yacht. It could he seen being bounced violently onto the seabed by the waves. The risk of severe damage or possible capsize was a major concern. Still no persons had been seen aboard and there was a strong possibility of the yacht‘s crew having been swept overboard. A thorough lookout was maintained by both lifeboats to avoid passing casualties in the water. The yacht’s mast had broken some 10 feet above the deck, it was lying across the steering position and entering the water to the north of it over the starboard side. This was on the opposite side from where the lifeboat was approaching.

The yacht’s boom was swinging violently over the port rail and rigging was strewn overboard. The yacht’s fore sail was also hanging over the port side in the water. There was severe damage to the upper deck and the breaking waves and debris made the area more hazardous.

Coxswain Cannon manoeuvred the ALB close to the yacht’s port side in order to assess its condition and search for survivors onboard. The noise of the waves colliding with the yacht was intense, rendering communications near impossible on deck. One crew member, Tim Hurst, from the ALB was selected to board the yacht. He took wire cutters and an axe with him. Coxswain Cannon manoeuvred the ALB onto the port side of the yacht, keeping clear of the rigging and debris in the water. With the ALB held onto the yacht and bouncing violently, Tim Hurst scrambled aboard at an opportune moment. Meanwhile, the ILB was also manoeuvred alongside and Lance Oram scrambled aboard the yacht, handing over the helm to Wayne Goldfinch. With two crewman aboard the yacht, both lifeboats eased away and stood off at close range whilst illuminating the deck of the yacht with searchlights.

Tim Hurst made his way to the cabin hatch with Lance Oram close behind him, both clearing debris as best they could. Once at the hatch, Tim attempted to open it whilst at the same time a female survivor from within pushed it open, not knowing that the lifeboatmen were on deck. She attempted to push her way out of the cabin but was restrained in order to prevent injury from the swinging boom and mast.

Whilst Coxswain Cannon brought the lifeboat back in towards the yacht, Tim Hurst and Lance Oram physically lifted the woman out of the cabin and moved her towards the ALB. They placed her hands into the hands of the crew members on the lifeboat’s deck, who pulled her towards the lifeboat. During this critical transfer, the ALB was buffeted away from the yacht by several large waves leaving the female hanging between the two boats, but the crew of the ALB, still holding her, pulled her over the guardrail to safety. She was taken into the survivor’s cabin where she was treated for severe shock.

Coxswain Cannon decided on an alternative approach to the casually because of the difficulties in holding the lifeboat alongside. Using the astern propulsion he took the lifeboat stern first into the yacht, despite the dangers of fouling the propellers with the dangling rigging. Meanwhile Tim Hurst and Lance Oram had taken a second survivor, helpless with shock, from the cabin and forcibly passed him to the crew on the lifeboat’s deck, who lifted him over the guardrail.

The third survivor was found to have head injuries and was trapped by debris. Once freed he was lifted out of the cabin and physically passed to the crew on the lifeboat’s deck. Tim Hurst and Lance Oram were then pulled back onto the ALB, Coxswain Cannon took the lifeboats a safe distance from the yacht while the casualties were looked after. As they were all in need of urgent medical attention, particularly the elderly man with head injuries, he decided to abandon any attempt to save the yacht and made best speed to Ramsgate. The lifeboats landed the survivors at 2102.

Both lifeboats re-launched later and, after some difficult manoeuvring, successfully secured a line and towed in the yacht which, if it had floated off the Sands, would have posed a serious collision threat to other vessels unable to detect it in the severe sea state.

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Ron Cannon received his Silver Medal from HRH The Princess Royal at the RNLI’s Annual Presentation of Awards in the Barbican, London on 18 May. The other awards were presented locally.

 

Ron Cannon already holds the RNLI’s Silver Medal for the rescue of the French trawler, Gloire a Marie II, and her seven man crew in stormy conditions on Boxing Day, 26 December 1985.

 

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