On the evening of the 28th October, a flare was seen in the direction of the Brake Sand. A fresh gale of wind was then blowing from the N.N.E. with rain, and there was a heavy sea on the sand.

The Ramsgate Life-boat was at once got ready, left the harbour under sail, and proceeded direct to the vessel, which proved to be the schooner Bexhill, of Shoreham, bound from Seaham to Shoreham with a cargo of coal. The Lifeboat got alongside her, took off four men who were on board, and was then towed back to her station by the harbour steamer. Three of the schooner's crew had taken to their boat before the Lifeboat arrived, and had unfortunately been drowned..