Post by Administrator on Dec 18, 2020 22:01:32 GMT
As to night’s gale blows loud and strong remember the the crews of the Penlee Lifeboat Solomon Brown and the Irish registered coaster MV Union Star.
On December 19th 1981 the coaster Union Star was bound for Arklow with a cargo of fertiliser, on her maiden voyage. As the weather worsened and the wind increased off the coast of Cornwall her engine failed. All efforts to restart her engine failed and by now she had drifted perilously close to the rocks. Falmouth coastguard asked that the Penlee lifeboat launch as the Air Sea Rescue helicopter could not get in close enough to take off her crew and sadly her master’s wife and two daughters were also on board.
The lifeboat struggled in very bad sea conditions to get to her as her position was much closer to the rock than had being thought. In a magnificent display of seamanship the lifeboat Coxswain got alongside and got most of her crew off. Then went back in to take of the reamaining crewmen however the lifeboat was lost in their final attempt to save them.
Sadly there was no survivors. Spare a thought for the crew of the lifeboat Solomon Brown and crew of the Union Star and the master’s family.
VIA: Irish Merchant Ships and Seamen
LINK
On December 19th 1981 the coaster Union Star was bound for Arklow with a cargo of fertiliser, on her maiden voyage. As the weather worsened and the wind increased off the coast of Cornwall her engine failed. All efforts to restart her engine failed and by now she had drifted perilously close to the rocks. Falmouth coastguard asked that the Penlee lifeboat launch as the Air Sea Rescue helicopter could not get in close enough to take off her crew and sadly her master’s wife and two daughters were also on board.
The lifeboat struggled in very bad sea conditions to get to her as her position was much closer to the rock than had being thought. In a magnificent display of seamanship the lifeboat Coxswain got alongside and got most of her crew off. Then went back in to take of the reamaining crewmen however the lifeboat was lost in their final attempt to save them.
Sadly there was no survivors. Spare a thought for the crew of the lifeboat Solomon Brown and crew of the Union Star and the master’s family.
VIA: Irish Merchant Ships and Seamen
LINK