A pair of Royal Navy sailors who saved the crew of a stricken yacht caught in a storm off the Isle of Wight are to be honoured by King Charles III.
Chief Petty Officer Stephen Froom and Able Seaman Alfie Hulme from destroyer HMS Diamond battled terrible conditions – which saw one of the yachtsmen tossed into the Channel when their vessel broke down and began sinking in November last year – to not just save all aboard, but get the engines running again.
Each man earns the King’s Commendation for Bravery, announced in the latest Operational Honours issued by the Ministry of Defence and approved by His Majesty.
Diamond’s rescue – already the subject of a lifesaving award for the ship collectively – saw 54-year-old Chief Petty Officer Froom from Bristol lead efforts to restore power and prevent the yacht Zapopan sink off the Isle of Wight.
Stephen was the first on and last off the yacht, and helped rescue 3 of the 5 crew, before toiling with shipmates Lieutenant Commander Tom Leonard and Chief Petty Officer Giles Newbon to remove water and restart the boat’s engines, as the Zapopan pitched and rolled violently.
The story was the originally covered by Island Echo.
On receiving the award, Chief Petty Officer Stephen Froom has said:
“I was initially embarrassed as I don’t like the limelight.
Article continues below this advertisement “I feel proud and humbled to be recognised for something I perceive as just doing my job.
“I felt confident due to the training and experience I have. I viewed it as the job at hand, which I’d be tasked with and needed to be completed.”
Seaman Specialist Alfie Hulme, who’s now serving in the Gulf with a minehunter, was coxswain of Diamond’s seaboat in the same rescue, using his experience operating the craft in very challenging conditions – darkness, heavy seas and strong winds.
Despite very little ambient light, he successfully manoeuvred the Pacific 24 boat alongside the yacht to get the rescue team safely aboard. He then manoeuvred boat safely alongside the yacht when it became necessary to evacuate three of the petrified crew and, when one fell in the sea, was in position for the yachtsman to be quickly recovered.
In all, Alfie made 3 trips between HMS Diamond and the yacht either to ferry the latter’s crew to safety or deliver specialists and equipment, remaining on hand until the last safe moment to return to his ship, all the while providing reassurance to his shipmates.
Wonderful focus and commitment with cool heads during extremely trying conditions, anxious crew and no guarantee of success. Extremely well done, chaps! I’m in awe.
I agree, however RNLI crew do this every day without this recognition?
Had you been on that yacht you would have burp burped but probably not wind!