Capital Radio Histopry 2

Capital Radio - History (2)

Further problems plagued the new station - during the evening of 9th September 1970, an insulator exploded and Capital Radio was put off the air and forced to return to port. During the ship's month long stay in port the station's owners were threatened with prosecution by the PTT for having installed a transmitter without Government permission, contrary to Dutch law. Consequently repairs to the King David were hurriedly completed and she left harbour on 8th October 1970, but was forced to return after a few hours at sea when yet again part of the ring aerial system collapsed. Two days later the King David was able to return to her anchorage in international waters and transmissions of Capital Radio recommenced.

For almost a Vrienden van Vrije Radio badge month the station was able to maintain a regular programming schedule and a good signal strength. A club was started for listeners - Vrienden van Vrije Radio - which enrolled over 5,000 members within a few weeks. Advertisers also began to purchase airtime on the station as the threat of imminent Dutch Government action against offshore stations receded in the weeks following the unexpected closure of RNI on 24th September 1970.

However, disaster struck in the early hours of 10th November 1970 when it was discovered that the anchor chain had snapped and the King David was drifting in a Force 9 gale. Attempts to lower the emergency anchor proved fruitless and shortly after 3.00am the King David's Captain sent out a Mayday message. The IJmuiden lifeboat and the Noordwijk beach rescue boat Kurt Carlsen both headed towards the stricken King David. At the same time the Wijsmuller Salvage Company picked up the Mayday message and despatched one of its salvage tugs, Hector, to attempt to put a line on board the drifting radio ship, thereby entitling the company to claim a salvage fee.

The King David continued drifting towards the shore and all crew except the Captain and one engineer were taken off the radio ship shortly before she ran aground on the b King David stranded on Noordwijk beach each at Noordwijk. An initial inspection of the radio ship at low tide revealed that there was little damage to her hull and it was hoped to re-float her on the noon high tide, using the services of the Wijsmuller salvage tug. However, it soon became apparent special cables needed to be brought from IJmuiden and arrangements then had to be made to secure these to the radio ship.

Delayed by continuing bad weather and the non-arrival of various items of equipment it took three days before everything was ready for the salvage attempt. During this time the King David had endured a battering from the waves and wind and had sunk deeper into the soft sand of Noordwijk beach.

After an earlier salvage attempt had failed another was successfully completed on 13th November 1970 and the King David was towed into IJmuiden Harbour. A week later she was towed to dry dock at Amsterdam and inspected for damage, which was found to be minimal. However, some repairs were required, most of all a new anchoring system, and arrangements were then made to transfer the vessel to a shipyard in another part of Amsterdam.

As the King David left dry dock on 26th November 1970 she was pursued by a police launch and when the vessel arrived at the shipyard police and court officials arrested the ship and chained her up. Wijsmullers had put in a claim of £15,000 for salvaging the King David and through a court order sought to have her immobilised until this sum was paid.

By the end of 1970, however, IBS staff who had been involved with Capital Radio were working without pay in an effort to find some way of bringing the station back on the air and a number of 'rescue' operations were explored, but all came to nothing.