Flamborough service marks 1984 double fishing boat tragedy

That fateful day resulted in the loss of seven lives when the motor coble Carole Sandra and the fast charter launch North Wind III were lost within sight of the cliffs.

Spring Bank Holiday Monday that year is a day etched very clearly in people's memories, a day when the worst local maritime tragedy in living memory occurred close inshore under the spectacular Flamborough Headland. A day when everything seemed to be against a successful outcome, a day when greater forces overpowered logic.

Tragically lost that day were Peter Brigham, his father Guy Brigham, George Gray, Barrie Shilton from the coble Carole Sandra together David Bunting, Stephen Burton and Brian Priestly from North Wind III.

Captain David Freeman, Lifeboat Operations Manager of Flamborough RNLI, opened the proceedings and a brief account of the events of that day was given by Paul Arro.

Readings by Maureen Burton and John Harrison from St Michael's church Bempton were followed by a passage read by children of the Flamborough School Council.

The commemorative wreaths were then laid by Linda Brooke of the Flamborough Fishermen's Memorial Group and by Councillor Vic Leppington on behalf of the Flamborough Parish Council.

A poem was read by the local school children and the concluding blessing was conducted by Father Tony Wilson.

The self-funding Flamborough Fishermen's Memorial Group was established to commemorate not only the anniversary of this fishing boat tragedy but also the coble disaster of 1909 which claimed the lives of six local fishermen.