On the 5th June, during a dense fog with a rough N.E. sea running and a moderate N.E.

breeze, a full-rigged ship ran ashore on the rocks opposite the end of the head- land sea wall. As quickly as possible the crew of the No. 2 Life-boat Charles Inglely were summoned and the boat launched. Fortunately a tug on her way to the wreck was passing the boat- house at the time, and towed the boat to the wreck, which was reached in half an hour. When they arrived the Life-boatmen found that eight of the crew had left their vessel in one of the ship's boats and had been picked up by a deep-sea tug, which had previously been towing the ship.

Seven other men were still on board, and they shouted for the Life-boat which proceeded alongside. Consider- able difficulty was experienced in doing this owing to the seas breaking right along the vessel, and the boat was damaged. The men on the vessel, equipped in life-belts, were all ready to be taken off and promptly got into the boat. The Captain was the last man to leave the ship. The boat was then towed back to harbour.

In addition to the Life-boat being launched, the life-saving apparatus also turned out. The Brigade fired four rockets towards the vessel, but she was beyond their range.

The ship was an iron one of nearly 2,000 tons, named the Otra, and belong- ing to Christiansand; at the time of the disaster she was bound from Libau to West Hartlepool with a cargo of pit props.

Nine days later a party of five men were put on the wreck to make an attempt to get her afloat during the afternoon of the 15th June. During the night, however, the weather became bad with a strong N.E. breeze and rough sea. About 3 o'clock in the morning the men, fearing to remain longer on board, wished to leave, but the sea was too high to enable the attendant tug and pilot boat to approach the Otra. The tug, therefore, came to the harbour for assistance, and in the meantime signals of distress were made by the salvage party. The No. 3 Life- boat Horatio Brand was launched and, in tow of a tug, went to the ship. She took off the five men successfully and landed them at 5.25 A.M..