An infra-red camera located the nine men in a raft

They went to the aid of the German fishing boat Hansa, which went down in March 2001 about 200 miles from Benbecula in the Western Isles.

Six of the crew died when the fishing boat sank, while nine others took to a liferaft in the heavy seas.

Winchman Chris Murray was lowered to the life raft and evacuated all nine survivors to the helicopter.

It took a long time getting out there in headwinds and bad weather Chris Murray Winchman

Mr Murray, who carried out the rescue despite suffering a shoulder injury, will receive the Queen's Gallantry Medal.

The other three members of the crew, pilot Clark Broad, co-pilot Neil Stephenson and winch operator Julian "Smiler" Grinney, will receive the Queen's Commendation for Bravery in the Air.

When the rescue helicopter eventually landed at Benbecula, the nearest point of land to the scene, it only had five minutes worth of fuel left.

Mr Murray said the rescue was one of the most difficult operations ever undertaken by the crew.

'Wing and a prayer'

He said: "I believe there was a Canadian search and rescue aircraft in that area at the time and had spotted flares so we were just going on a wing and a prayer really.

"It took a long time getting out there in headwinds and bad weather.

"It was just a matter of minutes we had to do whatever it was we were going to do when we got there.

"I picked on the infra-red camera some shapes in the liferaft and that was the survivors.

"They were in a state of shock and it was a terrible scene."

Chief Coastguard John Astbury said the crew displayed great courage and initiative and the awards were in the finest traditions of search and rescue.