§ Mr. Bessellasked the Secretary of State for Defence at what time weather conditions improved on 3rd August to an extent 398W sufficient to enable the air search for the pleasure boat "Darlwin" to recommense.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesAt about 3 p.m. Weather information from the log of the Rescue Co-ordination Centre shows that at 11.13 a.m. the weather was unsuitable for search but that it was thought that conditions might improve by late afternoon. Even at 3 p.m. the weather was still extremely poor. The Shackleton during its search reported 6/8ths cloud cover at 500 feet with visibility varying from 0 to 6 miles, frequent showers, and a heavy swell. The captain of the Shackleton reported that these conditions precluded close investigation of the coastline.
§ Mr. Bessellasked the Secretary of State for Defence from which Royal Air Force station the Shackleton aircraft used to recommence the search for the pleasure boat "Darlwin" on 3rd August was sent to the search area; and why a Shackleton from St. Mawgan was not used for this purpose.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesThe Shackleton used in the search operation on Wednesday, 3rd August was from R.A.F. Kinloss, and was airborne at 12 p.m. It was due to arrive in the search area at 3 p.m. but was delayed in the air by a hydraulic leak for twenty minutes. It is for the Air Commander to decide how best to use his aircraft resources to meet his operational and training commitments and on this occasion he decided to use an aircraft from Kinloss in the knowledge that there would be enough time for the aircraft to reach the search area before the weather improved sufficiently to enable the search to be renewed. If, contrary to expectations, it had become possible to renew the search before 3 p.m. by using an aircraft from St. Mawgan this would have been done. I would add that on Thursday, 4th August and Friday, 5th August Shackleton aircraft from Ballykelly were used in the search, while on Monday, 1st August and Tuesday, 2nd August aircraft from St. Mawgan were used.