RNLI are mugs to get rid of fearless crewmen
AS ROYAL Navy search and rescue aircrew, I have worked closely with the RNLI on many occasions, especially at Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight. If the woman manager who sacked two crewmen over a couple of mugs (Mail) had seen the amazing seamanship of these volunteers, who commit themselves to rescues in horrific seas, she would hang her head in shame. There have been times when even our helicopter couldn’t get to a ship because the sea was so bad and we needed to hold off until we could take casualties from the lifeboat. We watched from the air with our hearts in our mouths as these little boats were skilfully put alongside a heaving ship. For RNLI bosses to make a fuss over joke mugs is appalling.
LOZ COLEMAN, address supplied. WHAT is happening to the RNLI? Two crewmen sacked for cheeky mugs is a huge over-reaction and a coxswain with 34 years of loyal service sacked for taking two ‘civilians’ on a sea exercise, something he was often told to do. Every time their pagers beep, indicating that someone at sea is in danger, these brave people run for the lifeboat station to put their lives in danger to help others. Who can forget the loss of the Cornish Penlee lifeboat, with all hands, while trying to rescue the crew of the Union Star carrier ship in a hurricane in 1981? A pilot of a rescue helicopter said: ‘These were the bravest eight men I have ever seen.’
MAGGIE DAVEY, Yazor, Herefordshire.