The Withernsea Lifeboat Crew, who were travelling along the MI when the British Midland jet crashed, were among the first at the scene. Almost 70 awards for acts of bravery were awarded following the 1989 crash but the crew were not among the recipients.
The men worked for almost four hours assisting the emergency services and, drenched in aviation fuel, risked their lives to form a human chain across the wing of the Belfast bound plane to evacuate the dead and injured.
Martin McGuinness praised the men for their remarkable bravery. “What a privilege it is to be in the company of men who showed such remarkable bravery, putting their own lives at risk and working tirelessly to rescue casualties.
“Such acts of heroism are rare and it is fitting that we should acknowledge, albeit belatedly, the critical contribution they made to the rescue work that day.
“Many people were involved with the rescue. Not all have received public recognition for their efforts. I am grateful to have this opportunity to offer the thanks and deep appreciation of the people here to each one of you for your exceptional courage and valiant efforts which undoubtedly saved lives. We are indebted to you for your bravery,” he said.
The passenger jet crashed into an embankment of the M1 motorway near the Leicestershire village of Kegworth on 8 January 1989 en route from Heathrow to Belfast.
It was diverted to East Midlands airport following an engine fire and crashed a few hundred yards short of the runway. 79 passengers survived the crash but 47 people were killed - 39 at the scene and a further eight who died later in hospital. Many of the casualties were from the north.
Junior Minister Gerry Kelly said: “It is almost twenty years since the Kegworth air disaster but for many the memories and painful legacy of the event live on all too clearly.
“Tragedies test the mettle of each one of us as we struggle to come to terms with suffering. None of us knows how we would react when faced with a situation such as the crash scene at Kegworth but we would all pray that we would find the courage, as these men did, to do whatever we could to help.”
Jeffrey Donaldson added: “I am honoured to meet with these people today who so selflessly risked their lives to aid others. Too often, people like this are overlooked or indeed forgotten about once the story stops hitting the headlines. We should all endeavour to remind ourselves of the thousands of men and women who risk their lives each day for the safety and rescue of others. Their bravery is to be applauded.”
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