RACHAEL JANE IV

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Rogue wave responsible for sinking of Rachael Jayne IV

Ryan and Daniel Whitehead, who are both from Maryport, made a rogue wave that washed over the "Rachael Jayne IV" reponsible for the sinking of the boat, forcing them to flee without even a life jacket 26 miles off Tynemouth’s pier. Ryan, Daniel, 25, and two friends from the north east had just hauled in their last catch of prawns at about 5 p.m. and were heading back to harbour at North Shields when the wave hit their vessel. A lot of water got in and the ship rolled to starboard and didn't right itself due to the weight of the water and the fish and the prawns aboard. The four crew members which were up to their waists in water had to speed for the life raft. They were not able to put life jackets on because they were in a room below deck that had flooded. The boat was going down so quickly that Ryan had not even been able to send a distress signal to the Coastguard, instead just managing to make a mayday call which was picked up by the nearby fishing vessel "Kiroan". A helicopter from RAF Boulmer winched the men from the life raft 40 minutes later and took them to the Wansbeck General Hospital in Ashington. All were able to leave shortly after being admitted. The RNLI-boat "Spirit of Northumberland" based at RNLI Tynemouth, was sent to the scene and arrived within an hour but was unable to save the "Rachael Jayne IV" which was at a 45 degree angle on its starboard side. The lifeboat crew recovered the life raft and considered the possibility of putting a pump onto the stricken vessel but were unable to do so. They watched her sink about 30 minutes later. Report with photo: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/north-east-mps-call-boulmer-6532377

Large scale rescue operation after fishing vessel capsized off Tyne

On Jan 19, 2014, just just before 5 p.m. the "Kiroan - PD 23" contacted the Humber Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre to say that they had heard the fishing vessel "Rachael Jayne IV - MT 100", a well-known Maryport registered prawn fishing boat with an experienced crew, make a Mayday broadcast. The "Rachael Jayne IV" said that she was taking on water and sinking 26 miles East North East of the Tynemouth Piers. The crew were also reported to be abandoning the vessel to their liferaft. The Humber Coastguard immediately sent the RAF rescue helicopter based at RAF Boulmer and the RNLI lifeboat based at Tynemouth to the scene. They also broadcast a Mayday alert message to vessels in the area requesting them to head for the scene. A large number of fishing vessels and commercial ships responded and headed towards the "Rachael Jayne III". The four crew were winched from the liferaft to the helicopter half an hour after they abandoned ship, and taken to the Wansbeck Hospital where they were met by the Newbiggin Coastguard Rescue Team and are receiving medical attention. The "Rachael Jayne IV" was listing badly to starboard when the crew took to the liferaft. The trawler - owned by Ryan Whitehead, of Maryport, who was on the boat with his son and two others from the North East - could not be saved by the RNLI and sank. Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keVka4jTacA Report with photo: http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/10947989.Fisherman_rescued_from_sinking_boat/