GREEK STEAMER AGROUND ON THE NEEDLES Yarmouth, Isle of Wight.—At 7.26 in the morning of January 5th, 1947, the Totland coastguard reported to the life-boat station by telephone that a message had been received from a vessel aground near The Needles Light- house. She was the Greek steamer Varvassi, of Piraeus, of over 3,800, with a'crew of thirty-five, bound from Algiers to Southampton. The wind, from the south-east, was light, but there was a heavy ground swell.

Another message came that the steamer needed help and the motor life-boat S.G.E. was launched at 8.5. She found the steamer one hundred yards W.N.W. of the lighthouse. A tug was on her way, and when she arrived the life-boat left, reaching Yarmouth Har- bour at 2.20 in the afternoon. In the meantime a salvage officer had been taken out by boatmen to the Varvassi.

At 5.35 the Totland coastguard re^ ported that the salvage officer on board the steamer had asked that the life-boat should go out again at 8.0 P.M. The life-boat put out again at 7.20. Wind and sea were increasing; the steamer might break up; and the life-boat was asked to stand by. After cruising round for a time she anchored in Alum Bay in sight of the steamer.

She remained there until about 1.30 next morning. It was then nearly low water, the steamer was no longer in danger, and the life-boat returned to Yarmouth at 2.30 A.M. Four hours later another message came from the coastguard that the crew of the steamer wished to leave her at once, and for the third time the life-boat put out, at 6.25 A.M. Seas were breaking over the steamer. The life-boat went along- side, but several times the lines securing her to the steamer parted before she had taken off the whole crew of thirty- five men, the salvage officer and a pilot. The life-boat finally returned to her station at 9.20 A.M.—Rewards, First service, £16 5s. 6d.; Second service, £18 1.9.; Third service, £8 15s.

A letter of thanks was also sent to the Coxswain, S. Smith..