Rescuers Honoured for Bravery at Sea Land Helicopter Heroes Awards
Monday, 11th October, 2010 05:22:35 PM
Source: http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/news/Brave-rescues-sea-land-helicopter-heroes...
Sailors and airmen who have raised their lives to help other at sea have been honoured for their bravery.
The crew of the helicopter Rescue 193 from RNAS Culdrose and Newquay lifeboatmen Mark Morris and Aaron Trebilcock received Mariners' Society's Skill and Gallantry Awards for their bravery in two sea rescues.
Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, the former First Sea Lord, presented awards at Fishmongers' Hall, London Bridge.
The Society, which celebrates its 171st anniversary this year, supports ex-merchant seafarers and fishermen in times of financial hardship.
The crew of Rescue 193 were awarded The Edward & Maisie Lewis Award for their "professionalism, teamwork, determination and courage" in saving the lives of four trawlermen.
On December 31 last year, they received a mayday call from a fishing vessel on fire 50 miles south of the Isles of Scilly. Having lost all power due to fire damage and being unable to inflate their liferaft, the trawler's crew were perched perilously on the last 3ft of stern in stormy conditions.
"Despite the significant risk to their own safety, the helicopter crew hovered close to the vessel and winched Petty Officer Aircrewman Dian Lacy down to the pitching and rolling deck," an awards spokesman said.
However as the boat pitched and rolled in the rough seas, he was plunged into the icy waters of the Atlantic. After being recovered back to the helicopter and despite his ordeal, he elected to go back down for a second rescue attempt.
"This time he was successful and all four men were winched safely off the fire-damaged trawler. Petty Officer Lacy was given an individual commendation for his bravery."
The Emile Robin Award was presented to RNLI Newquay inshore helmsman Mark Morris with a commendation to crew member Aaron Trebilcock, for their "good judgment, courage and determination" in rescuing two runners trapped by the tide near Fern Cove on the Cornish coast on January 27 this year.
"Faced with treacherous sea conditions and five-metre waves crashing on rocks close to the stranded runners, the lifeboat approached the cove cautiously.
However before a rescue attempt could be made, the situation took an unexpected turn as the two men jumped off the rocks into a nearby gully where they instantly became out of their depth in the high swells," said the spokesman.
"Already cold and weak from their ordeal and with lacerations to their legs, the two runners were now in severe peril and the lifeboat crew were forced to enter the water to retrieve the men.
"While Helmsman Morris steadied the boat crew member Trebilcock fought his way through the surging sea, carrying each victim in turn back to the safety of the lifeboat."
This story has been read 418 times.
Most Viewed Stories
Two Teenagers Arrested After Newquay Treviglas School Fire
A school in Cornwall has been severely damaged by fire. ...
No. 1 story. Read the full story
Lads on Sea Sun and Sky
A REALITY show will follow ten single blokes on the hunt for...
No. 2 story. Read the full story
Newquays New Four Screen Cinema
class="first">The long awaited new state-of-the-art four-scr...
No. 3 story. Read the full story
Official Handover of New Newquay Cinema
Construction services firm ISG Pearce Ltd has completed the ...
No. 4 story. Read the full story
Newquay Landlord Fined For Fire Safety Breaches
A landlord from Newquay has been fined for numerous fire saf...
No. 5 story. Read the full story
Top Community Stories
Lads on Sea Sun and Sky
A REALITY show will follow ten single blokes on the hunt for...
No. 1 story. Read the full story
Newquays New Four Screen Cinema
class="first">The long awaited new state-of-the-art four-scr...
No. 2 story. Read the full story
Homeless Teenager Choked to Death on Drink and Drugs An Inquest Hears
A 17-year-old girl choked on her own vomit after swallowing ...
No. 3 story. Read the full story
Third Newquay School Could Become Academy
A school in Newquay is to become the third in the area to ap...
No. 4 story. Read the full story
Newquay RNLI Lifeboats Search for Missing Female
The first launch of the New Year for Newquay’s lifeboa...
No. 5 story. Read the full story
