Radio Mi Amigo History 2

Radio Mi Amigo - History (2)

Radio Mi Amigo also hired airtime on local Spanish commercial radio stations ostensibly so that Dutch holidaymakers could listen to programmes in their own language. The theory behind this move being that it would give Radio Mi Amigo a certain legitimacy - potential advertisers could buy airtime on the programmes which were broadcast by the legal Spanish stations and it was just a 'happy coincidence' that these same programmes were broadcast from a ship in the North Sea whose transmissions were received in Holland and Belgium!

At about 4.30pm on 8th November 1975 the DJs and crew began to suspect that the MV Mi Amigo had broken from her anchor and was adrift. For nearly two hours they struggled to try and lower an emergency anchor, but without success and at 6.20pm DJ Simon Barrett interrupted his programme to ask listeners to contact the station's office to inform them that the anchor chain had broken.

By early the following morning, 9th November 1975, the crew had managed to lower the emergency anchor which successfully held the ship until a second anchor was put down later that afternoon. However, the radio ship was now near the South Edinburgh No 3 Buoy marking one of the main shipping lanes and the authorities advised the Mi Amigo that she was a danger to other shipping in the area if she remained in that position.

In the afternoon of 10th November 1975 the Mi Amigo's Captain received a call from the station's office in Spain giving instructions that Radio Caroline and Radio Mi Amigo were to stay off the air until the ship could be moved back to her anchorage in Knock Deep. They were also told that a tender from Spain was heading towards the Mi Amigo carrying a new heavy duty anchor and chain.

In the early hours of 13th November the tender from Spain eventually arrived at the Mi Amigo installed the new heavy duty anchor and loaded food and supplies. A number of unsuccessful attempts were made to tow the Mi Amigo from her temporary anchorage position, but only succeeded in pulling the radio ship to a new position half a mile north of the South Edinburgh No 3 Buoy. A representative of Radio Mi Amigo on board the tender then told the crew that the radio ship would be left at this position and they could resume broadcasts. By 9.30am broadcasts of non-stop music had recommenced with Radio Mi Amigo programmes starting again half an hour later.

Transmissions from both Radio Mi Amigo and Radio Caroline continued but shortly before 3.00pm on 14th November 1975 British police and Home Office officials arrived in a boat alongside the Mi Amigo. They informed the Captain that his vessel was anchored inside British territorial waters and requested permission to come aboard. Although he strongly disputed the claim the Captain had little choice but to grant permission for the police and government officials to board the radio ship.

As they were climbing on board the station's engineer managed to switch off Radio Mi Amigo's taped programmes and activate a microphone in the Radio Caroline studio. Startled listeners then heard police enter the studio and a heated argument taking place during which the engineer was repeatedly told to turn the microphone off. He resisted for a short time, trying to convince police that a tape was being played, however, at 3.01pm the microphone was abruptly cut off by the boarders. Police and officials from the Home Office Radio Regulatory Department then systematically searched the Mi Amigo and confiscated a number of papers and programme tapes.

Four men were taken from the radio ship and charged with offences under the British Marine etc. Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967. All four appeared before Southend Magistrates on 15th November 1975 and were remanded on bail until 11th December 1975. At that hearing three pleaded guilty and received fines, while the fourth pleaded not guilty and was bailed until February 1976.

After the raid both stations aboard the MV Mi Amigo remained silent for over 10 days, but on 23rd November 1975 the radio ship left the South Edinburgh Channel and anchored at a position back in the Knock Deep Channel, 17 miles off Margate. Three days later Radio Mi Amigo returned with regular programming.