Admiral Van Tromp
30th
September 1976
At about 3am the Admiral
Van Tromp a new powerful
Scarborough trawler ran aground
on the scaur at Black Nab,
Saltwick Bay there was thick fog
a heavy swell running.
The Whitby Lifeboat
William & Mary Durham was
launched and both Whitby and
Robin Hood's Bay Coastguards
called out. Several rocket lines
were fired by the Coastguards,
but the crew of five trapped in
the wheel house, were unable to
reach them. The Watson Type
Lifeboat tried to reach the
trawler by dropping anchor and
drifting back to the wreck. On
the first attempt the line parted.
A stronger anchor from one of the
trawlers standing off was used
and Cox'n Robert Allen tried
again. However the sea was too
strong, with waves washing over
her and three of the crew
injured, the Lifeboat got to
within 30 feet of the stricken
vessel.
As day light broke the
Van Tromp lay on her side with
waves breaking over her. One of
the crew was spotted clinging to
Black Nab. He was taken off by
the Inshore Lifeboat. The other
four were washed ashore, sadly
two did not survive.
  
  
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