At around 7pm on Wednesday 21 December 1988, HM Coastguard’s Sector Manager for Dumfries and Galloway Tony Wood received confusing reports from Maritime Rescue Coordination Sub-centre (MRSC) Ramsay.
Coastguard operators had received 999 calls for a possible crash or fire involving a light aircraft, or possibly fast jet, in the Upper Solway. It was entirely feasible, given military low flying exercises often occurring in the area.
“As soon as I got the call, I liaised with Dumfries Police Control,” Tony says. “I advised our Maritime Rescue Sub Centre at Ramsey on the Isle of Man to scramble a rescue helicopter 177 from HMS Gannett at Prestwick, and I told them I’d be mobile into the area for communications.”
Tony instructed Kirkcudbright Auxiliary Coastguards Roger Docherty and John Johnson, already on patrol that evening, to collect their Station Officer Peter Hunter, and proceed together to the scene.
Due to the terrain inland communications with the MRSC were intermittent, but not long after reaching Castle Douglas, Coastguards received a concerning update from Liverpool MRCC. The incident involved a Boeing 747 in the vicinity of Lockerbie.
West of Lockerbie as they entered the town, Tony’s team found that traffic at a standstill, as two or three miles of people left their vehicles, staring in shock at the extent of the disaster.
Once Coastguards made their way through and reached the town, they were met with scene of utter devastation.
“As we came over the top of the hill by Dryfesdale Cemetery, we could see around a mile or so ahead… It looked like a war film of London during the Blitz. It was an inferno that was just horrific to look at; just fire, flames and smoke,” says Tony.
Reporting to Lockerbie Police Station, Tony liaised with Senior Police Officer, attempting to locate and establish an area suitable for an emergency helicopter landing pad.
Air support felt essential, and as the only emergency service with the capability to liaise directly with rescue helicopters, the Coastguards set up their landing site at a local primary school playground’s oblique sports field.
Tony’s intuition was later proven correct, as nine rescue helicopters were variously called to the scene that night.
“That's what my three auxiliaries were doing with me: working alongside the Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary and Strathclyde Traffic Police to put up boundaries and lighting all around the area.
“From the outset, it had been a search and rescue operation. But about an hour or so in, one of the helicopters landed and a Winchman handed me a body bag – he passed me the bodies of a young girl and baby. They were put into the care of my team, then the ambulance service and police.
"From that moment, everything stopped. The whole of Lockerbie had effectively become a crime scene.”
After working throughout the night, Tony and his team were relieved of duties by the RAF at around 7am the next morning. The Auxiliary Coastguards would return to their stations to maintain an operational readiness on the coast.
Retiring in 2007 after a storied Coastguard career of more than 30 years, Tony Wood MBE still remembers his years of service fondly. He says: “I look back now with pride. I'm glad I was there. I'm glad I was able to serve.”
