Falmouth Packet: "Culdrose Crew Describe Night Rescue Of Fishermen During Storm"

"The Royal Navy has released a video taken from a rescue helicopter as it raced to rescue five fishermen from a sinking boat off the Lizard in 'atrocious conditions'.

Five sailors from the 21 metre French Fishing Vessel Panamera (three French and two Portuguese) were plucked to safety by the crew of Royal Navy ‘Rescue 193’ from 771 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) based at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in the early hours of Sunday morning."

Culdrose crew describe night rescue of fishermen during storm 'with seconds to spare': VIDEO (From Falmouth Packet)

 

A question for ex and serving crewies.

Whenever you winch down to a boat/ship you always have someone with the earth pole to earth you as you come down. In a rescue scenario, what happens to all that as I would imagine the crew members wouldn't have the time or inclination for faffing about with earthing poles?

 

I believe they have an earthing connection on the end of the wire which generally does the job for them. Either dips in the water or touches the deck first before the crewie touches down.


Posted from the Navy Net mobile app (Android / iOS)

 

Cheers Cj, often wondered although in a storm it seems a bit dodgy having the loose end of a wire whipping about, not only for the rescuee's but it getting snagged on the vessel.

 

You can see it in this photo.

Never mind. Photo didn't load up.

Posted from the Navy Net mobile app (Android / iOS)

 

What nationality is the left hand pilot? He doesn't seem to be wearing RN Pilot's Wings.

 

There are/were three; (Please remember it was 20 years ago I did this for real) Things may have changed but I don't believe so!!!!!
1. you get a belt from the static!!!!
2. There is a mod that can be wired into your immersion suit. That attaches to the winch wire and another section of cable is connected to the leg of the flying suit and protrudes some 18 inches below your foot. That, in theory, makes contact with the deck and discharges any static.
3. A section of cable aprox 7-8 foot long is attached to the winch hook and is held between the feet of the winchman, to ensure the wire makes contact with the deck first!!!!

A Sea King can generate thousands of volts in flight in the right weather conditions so earthing the cable is essential.

One of the techniques used if you are rescuing Mil Aircrew who are uninjured. A winchman may not be used. The winch is lowered with a rescue strop attached, no earthing cable, the rescue strop is dipped into the sea a few yards in from of the casualty/survivor to discharge the static that has built up.

 

Wrecker, I lost a very good friend whilst he was being winched on a disabled craft. He had the winch wire snagged in the rigging of the vessel. It is a hazard but you have to assess the risks at the time.

A winchmans biggest fear is for a boat crewman to attach the winch hook to the guard rail of the vessel, a 5 million pound Sea King becomes a very expensive kite. If you lose the winch cable you are ****ed as far as further rescue attempts are concerned.

If you can get hold of a pair of books, they make good reading. "Rescue 177" by Jay O-Donnell and "On the Wire" by Dave Peel. A good insight to being on Rescue helicopters when the weather is against you!

 

He's a German on exchange. Nice bloke too.

 

Sweet. Cheers MLP.

 

Thanks for that Waspie, respect to the crewies and **** that for a lark!

 

S92 now has Goodrich Dual hoist system Waspie.Dont know how we managed before. Nightmare scenario.Hoist failure 100 miles off...:angel10: