BAKEWELL, Layamon John

Lieutenant, Royal New Zealand Navy

CITATION

New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration

Queen's Birthday Honours List 2012

Lieutenant Bakewell was Commanding Officer of HMNZS ROTOITI, which at 5.00am on 11 October 2011 was ordered to sail to the

vicinity of the grounded vessel MV Rena, off the coast of Tauranga. Deteriorating weather conditions overnight had led the Salvage

Master onboard Rena to request an evacuation of non-essential personnel. By 6.30am when ROTOITI arrived on the scene, bad

weather conditions precluded a transfer by boat. Lieutenant Bakewell then called for helicopter assistance which arrived on the

scene at 8.00am. Under his direction, the aircraft managed to evacuate thirteen personnel in three lifts before weather conditions

prevented further flying. Rena’s state was now critical. The ship was listing with the hull under immense strain and containers on the

stern becoming unstable. An oil slick down wind from the ship had also spread. At 9.30am, the Salvage Master called "MayDay" and

sought an immediate evacuation of the remaining twenty-seven personnel onboard. By 9.50am, Lieutenant Bakewell had organised

five rigid hull inflatable boats to commence the operation. Due to prevailing and worsening conditions, there were considerable

restraints on where the boats could safely operate. All remaining personnel were however safely evacuated from the Rena by

10.48am.

KNOWN AWARDS

New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration

NOTES

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THE PRO PATRIA PROJECT