'Yves Marie Amil'

St Davids lifeboat station – 21 December 2004

Fishing vessel Yves Marie Amil – three saved lives

At 4am on 21 December 2004, Milford Haven Coastguard received a routine call from the Brixham registered, 19m wooden fishing vessel Yves Marie Amil, advising that they had a fire on board and required immediate assistance. There were three people aboard the fishing vessel, which was disabled and rolling heavily in a position four miles west south west of the South Bishop rock.  

Milford Haven Coastguard contacted St Davids RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, Jeffrey Davies at 4.01am to request the immediate launch of the station’s all weather lifeboat. Mr Davies authorised the launch paging the crew at 4.04am.

At 4.01am the Coastguard also scrambled an RAF rescue helicopter to attend the incident.

At 4.05am the Coastguard broadcast a ‘Mayday Relay’ call on channel 16. First to respond was the Stena Europe, a large ferry15 miles away and could not be on scene for almost an hour. Immediately afterwards the Isle of Inishmore, a ferry on passage from Pembroke Dock to Rosslare, responded and advised that the fishing vessel was three miles off her track, she would divert if required and could be on scene in approximately 15 minutes.

Milford Haven Coastguard tasked the Isle of Inishmore to proceed to the fishing vessel’s last known position and released the Stena Europe to continue her passage.

At 4.14am, RNLI lifeboat St Davids Sarah Emily Harrop, a relief Tyne class lifeboat, launched on service with Coxswain Malcolm Gray in command. Despite the northerly wind of force seven, conditions at the slipway were calm because of the lee effect created by the steep cliffs surrounding the St Justinians slipway. Visibility was good, but there was no moonlight and Ramsey Sound was in complete darkness.

Once the lifeboat cleared the slip she turned south down Ramsey Sound. On a dark night such as this, the radar and GPS systems were vital to safely negotiate the narrow, unlit passage between the Bitches reef and Pen Dal-aderyn headland.

As the lifeboat rounded Ynys Bery and cleared Ramsey Sound she headed west. The helm was transferred to Deputy Second Coxswain David John in the wheelhouse and the wheelhouse doors were shut in preparation for the rough seas, which were anticipated once the lifeboat left the lee of Ramsey Island.

At 4.35am Isle of Inishmore, under the command of the overnight master Captain Michael Poole, arrived at the last known position of the Yves Marie Amil, but there was no sign of the casualty vessel. Captain Poole organised a search plan which involved steaming in an expanding circle around the datum position. Off duty catering staff had been summoned to the bridge to act as extra lookouts and the ferry steamed at half speed with one searchlight pointing directly ahead and one searchlight sweeping on her starboard beam.

As the lifeboat left the lee of Ramsey Island she began to feel the full effect of the northerly force 7 winds. David John, at the wheel, had to continually adjust course and ease back on the throttles several times to prevent the lifeboat becoming airborne.

During the second ring of her search pattern, Isle of Inishmore’s search light picked out the fishing vessel in total darkness about one mile on her starboard beam and the Captain manoeuvred upwind to try and provide a lee.

Until this time, it had been difficult to locate Yves Marie Amil because she was in darkness with black smoke pouring out of her, but at 4.44am as Isle of Inishmore approached, flames broke out on the casualty and could clearly be seen rising from her deck hatches. Captain Poole informed the Coastguard of the fishing vessel’s new position, that they could see three people on board and that flames were now rising from her. More worryingly, clearly visible were propane gas bottles stored on deck very close to the flames. He also relayed to the Coastguard that there were numerous whip aerials and restricted deck space, which would make it very difficult for a helicopter to evacuate the casualties.

Conditions on scene were poor, the wind had increased to northerly gale force and was blowing against a two knot tide was creating three to four metre high over falls. Captain Poole recorded wind speeds from the anemometer of 32 to 40 knots. Seas were described as “very rough, large running breakers” and the master and crew witnessed the Yves Marie Amil being laid over by large waves several times. Use of the ferry’s rescue boat was “not an option” due to the sea conditions and just as Captain Poole was wondering what else he could do, St Davids lifeboat contacted him to ask which side of the ferry the casualty was on.

St Davids lifeboat arrived on scene at 4.49am and Coxswain Gray asked the ferry crew to check for nets or equipment extending from the fishing vessel, which might foul the lifeboat’s propellers. As no hazards were reported, the lifeboat passed around the ferry’s stern and down her starboard side to the fishing vessel’s position.

There were three on board the Yves Marie Amil, the skipper/owner, his son and one other crew member. The vessel’s engines were still running at low revolutions, but the throttles were defective. Although the engine was in gear, water was not available to fight the fire and there was no thrust on the propeller to make steerage way to assist the lifeboat coming alongside. The severity of the fire and the close proximity of several propane gas cylinders meant that the crew were willing to abandon the vessel.

Coxswain Gray took the helm at the upper steering position and asked Isle of Inishmore to try and provide a lee and to illuminate the casualty as much as possible.

Using both engines, Becker rudders and two bow thrusters, Captain Poole managed to hold the ferry about 50 metres away from the casualty, with her stern some 30 degrees off the wind and her bow slightly overlapping to provide a partial lee for the lifeboat. Both searchlights had been rigged to illuminate the scene.

At 4.52am, St Davids lifeboat, with four crew members secured by their lifelines on the bow, closed in on the fishing vessel, whose crew shouted across to the lifeboat that they wanted to abandon the vessel.

Yves Marie Amil was lying beam on to the seas with her bows slightly downwind and although the ferry was trying to create a lee, the partial overlap of her bow did little to reduce the sea height. Coxswain Gray decided that this attitude was perfect for working the fishing vessel’s lee side just forward of the wheelhouse, as the dense smoke was being blown clear and some extra protection from the breaking seas would be afforded by the vessel. As the lifeboat carefully approached the vessel’s port side, the owner shouted across that they could not abandon on the port side due to the heavy canvas ‘dodgers’ that were permanently rigged, to give shelter to the crew working on deck.

Coxswain Gray manoeuvred the lifeboat astern and away from the casualty and repositioned, to make an approach from the windward side. The lifeboat made a practice run in towards the casualty’s windward side to get the feel of the wave patterns and the amount of movement between the two vessels. At 4.53am, the lifeboat was skilfully manoeuvred alongside the vessel and a fishing crew member was helped aboard by the lifeboat’s crew positioned on the bow. Despite the lifeboat being held alongside for about 15 seconds, the owner was reluctant to leave his vessel and his son would not abandon without him. After remaining alongside for two wave cycles the motion of the boats alongside each other was becoming severe and Coxswain Gray manoeuvred the lifeboat clear of the casualty.

Coxswain Gray studied the wave patterns for a short time before picking a relatively quiet period and skilfully manoeuvring the lifeboat alongside the vessel for a second time. Again the lifeboat was held alongside for some 15 seconds and this time the owner’s son jumped across onto the lifeboat, falling heavily and injuring his knee. He was caught by the lifeboat’s crew and escorted back to the wheelhouse.

On the final approach, as the lifeboat came alongside, the whole bow of the fishing vessel was engulfed in flames and thick black smoke. The height of the flames leaping up from her deck hatches was estimated at three metres and the heat being given off was fierce. As the lifeboat crew were still pleading with the owner to abandon, a large breaking wave hit both boats causing them to roll heavily. The subsequent impact bent several of the lifeboat’s stanchions and demolished a large section of the fishing vessel’s wooden bulwarks. Coxswain Gray left the owner in no doubt that he could not guarantee getting alongside the burning vessel again. Finally, the owner jumped across to the lifeboat’s foredeck and Coxswain Gray manoeuvred the lifeboat clear of the casualty.

At  4.58am, St Davids lifeboat reported to Milford Haven Coastguard that they had all three survivors on board. While remaining on scene, first aid was offered to the fishing vessel’s crew. The owner’s son had banged his knee during the leap between vessels and the owner was coughing heavily due to the effects of smoke inhalation.

At 4.59am the Coastguard informed the lifeboat that helicopter was still on route, with an estimated time of arrival of 5.25am and enquired whether the survivors would require air lifting to hospital. After a brief discussion with the survivors and evaluation of their condition it was decided to return to St Davids with them aboard the lifeboat.

At 5.05am, St Davids lifeboat thanked the Isle of Inishmore for her assistance and commenced her passage back to station.

The ferry remained on scene until 5.18am, when she relayed a final position of the burning vessel and was released by Milford Haven Coastguard to continue her passage to Rosslare.

The lifeboat arrived back at station at 6.07am and was refuelled, checked for damage and ready for further service at 6.27am.

The survivors were landed into the care of the Shipwrecked Mariners Society at St Davids. Concern was still being expressed for the skipper / owner, who was showing signs of smoke inhalation.

The Yves Marie Amil drifted south throughout the day, she came close to grounding on Grassholm Island and finally foundered at 4.45pm two miles north east of Grassholm Island.  

St Davids Lifeboat 'Yves Marie Amil' rescue crew

Front (L-R)  Nicholas Phillips, Jestyn Martin

Back (L-R)  Michael Phillips, Cox'n Malcolm Gray, David John, Robin Copley

Not pictured:  Roland Bateman