Cornish Olympian Helen Glover to host TV feature on Penlee Lifeboat Disaster
It has been almost 40 years since the tragedy off Cornwall's coast
Cornish Olympic champion Helen Glover is going to host a TV feature on the Penlee Lifeboat Disaster.
The Solomon Browne and her crew were lost at sea on the 19th of December 1981.
They had rushed to the aid of stricken coaster the Union Star in hurricane-force storms.
It is 40 years since the tragedy struck off the Cornish coast and a special TV feature is airing in tribute.
Penzance rower Helen Glover will be remembering the courageous volunteers in a feature on BBC's The One Show.
Coming from the area Helen grew up with the disaster and wanted to do something for the 40th anniversary.
She spoke to the current coxswain of the Penlee Lifeboat, Patch Harvey, as well as lifeboat operations manager Andrew Munson, who sadly passed away on Saturday.
In the feature Helen also speaks to Neil Brockman and Jo Payne, who both lost their dads in the disaster, about the impact of that night has had on their lives and the community.
The gold medallist tweeted to say that she has utter admiration for the RNLI and she is 'so proud' to be Cornish.
The feature will be on BBC 1 at 7pm tonight (7th December) during The One Show.
About the Penlee Lifeboat Disaster
On a stormy December evening, the Penlee lifeboat Solomon Browne battled heavy seas and hurricane force winds to reach the Union Star, a stricken coaster being swept towards the coast of Cornwall.
The Union Star was on her maiden voyage, sailing from Holland to Ireland with a cargo of fertilisers.
She carried a crew of four, as well as Captain Henry Morton, his wife and two teenage stepdaughters, who had been picked up on a stop so that they could be together for the holidays.
At 6pm on 19 December 1981 the Falmouth Coastguard received a call from the Union Star: her engines had failed and would not restart. There was a fierce storm underway and the rough seas and powerful winds were blowing the coaster towards the treacherous Cornish coastline.
In Mousehole, word spread that the lifeboat may be needed and Penlee’s Solomon Browne was put on standby. A dozen men answered the call for crew, but only eight were needed.
One of the Union Star’s fuel tanks had filled with water, making an engine restart impossible. The coaster was drifting dangerously close to the shore, so the Coastguard called in an RNAS Sea King helicopter to rescue the crew.
The coaster was rolling and pitching on the wild seas, so violently that her mast threatened to collide with the helicopter overhead.
The aircrew decided it had become too dangerous to continue the rescue mission – the Union Star’s mast was too close and their line wasn’t long enough to reach the deck from further away.
A final heroic rescue attempt
The coaster had drifted to just 2 miles from the perilous coastline, so the Solomon Browne was finally launched, 2 hours after the first alert.
The helicopter stood by as Penlee's lifeboat, a wooden 14m Watson class, launched into the hurricane force 12 gale, fighting against 90-knot winds and 18m waves.
The powerless Union Star had already lost one anchor, but was desperately trying to hold her position as the lifeboat fought the harsh breaking seas to come alongside it.
After several attempts to get alongside the coaster, the lifeboat crew rescued four of the eight people onboard. But rather than turn back to shore, they made a final heroic rescue attempt - and all radio contact was lost.
The Coastguard radioed back to the lifeboat, but there was no response. Ten minutes later, the lights of the Solomon Browne disappeared.
The helicopter refuelled and launched. Lifeboats from Sennen Cove, The Lizard and St Mary’s were also sent to help their colleagues, but their searches were unsuccessful.
At daybreak, the Union Star was found capsized on the rocks by Tater Du Lighthouse and wreck debris from the lifeboat began to wash ashore.
This disaster was the last time the RNLI lost an entire crew in action.
You can find more information from the RNLI here.