RTITUD
attempted to move the casualty to the nearby RNLI lifeboat ‘ANGLE’ from which a further airlift could be attempted from ANGLE’s less cluttered deck. The Sea King was running out of fuel, so a swift refuel was arranged at Haverfordwest to prepare for a second attempt. Returning once more, rescue crew found it had proved impossible to conduct the boat-to-boat transfer.
Things were becoming more difficult as neither of the Sea King’s pilots could see the French vessel. Thanks to the presence of a fluent French-speaker onboard HMS Echo, a revised plan was conveyed to the French vessel’s captain. This involved getting RNLI
www.raf-ff.org.uk
lifeboat ANGLE into a position 20 metres on the ALF’s starboard side, whilst HMS Echo moved closer to shield ALF from the weather and sea state. The presence of the RNLI boat gave pilot Taff Wilkins his only fixed visual reference from which to work out a stable hover above the ALF.
Sgt Robinson was lowered twice more, but again, the pitching seas ripped her from the vessel. However, her third attempt was successful and Rachel managed to detach from the winch-wire and assess the casualty. Seeing his perilous condition, Rachel elected to conduct an immediate, single-strop
recovery. Making use of the ALF’s slightly more predictable roll and pitch rates, Taff Wilkins calculated the lift to the second, climbing his Sea King as the ALF reached the top of a swell and plucking Rachel and the casualty clear of the deck.
The casualty was treated en-route for head injuries and hypothermia and was taken to Swansea Morriston Hospital. Thanks to the actions of the crew of rescue and Rachel Robinson’s impressive fortitude, the injured crewman survived.
Envoy Summer 2013 15
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