The Penlee lifeboat disaster occurred on 19 December 1981 off the coast of Cornwall, England. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat Solomon Browne, based at the Penlee Lifeboat Station near Mousehole, went to the aid of the vessel Union Star after its engines failed in heavy seas. After the lifeboat had rescued four people, both vessels were lost with all hands; sixteen people died, including eight volunteer lifeboatmen. MV Union Star The MV Union Star, a mini-bulk carrier registered in Dublin, had sailed from IJmuiden in the Netherlands on December 17 with a cargo of fertiliser for its maiden voyage to Arklow, Ireland. It was carrying a crew of five: Captain Henry Morton, Mate James Whittaker, Engineer George Sedgwick, Crewman Anghostino Verressimo, and Crewman Manuel Lopes. Also on board were Morton's wife Dawn and his teenage stepdaughters Sharon and Deanne, who had been picked up at an unauthorised call at Brightlingsea in Essex. Near the south coast of Cornwall, east of the Wolf Rock, the ship's engines failed. The crew was unable to restart them but did not make a mayday call. Assistance was offered by a tug, the Noord Holland, under the Lloyd's Open Form salvage contract; Morton initially refused the offer, but accepted after consulting his owners. Winds were gusting at up to – hurricane, force 12 on the Beaufort scale – with waves up to high. The powerless ship was blown across Mount's Bay towards the rocks of Boscawen Cove, near Lamorna. Rescue attempts FAA Sea King helicopter As the ship was close to shore, the Coastguard at Falmouth summoned a Royal Navy Sea King helicopter from 820 Naval Air Squadron (who were providing cover for 771 Naval Air Squadron), RNAS Culdrose. It used the call sign "Rescue 80" during the mission. The aircraft was flown that night by United States Navy exchange-pilot LCDR Russell Smith, assisted by Lt Steve Marlow, S/Lt Kenneth Doherty and Leading Aircrewman Martin Kennie of the Royal Navy. They were unable to winch anyone off the ship as the wind was too violent. RNLB Solomon Browne The Coastguard had difficulties contacting the secretary of the nearest lifeboat station, Penlee Lifeboat Station at Mousehole on the west side of the bay. They eventually contacted Coxswain Trevelyan Richards and asked him to put the lifeboat on standby in case the helicopter rescue failed. He summoned the lifeboat's volunteer crew and picked seven men