Ramsey, Douglas, and Peel, Isle of Man.

•—Just before half past five in the evening of the 6th of January, 1948, the coastguard informed the Ramsey life-boat station that the motor vessel Teasel was six miles east of the Point of Ayr, with a dangerous list, in a full south-east gale, with a very heavy sea running and heavy rain squalls. At six o'clock the Ramsey life-boat Lady Harrison, was launched. She had to go through very heavy broken water when crossing the Bahama Bank and after running for over an hour reached the position given. There was no sign of the Teasel so the coxswain went round the Point of Ayr. As soon as he had turned the point he saw small flashing lights close inshore, and thinking that they came from a small boat trying to land, he stood in to investigate. The visibility was very poor, the land very low-lying and all on board the life-boat kept a sharp look out, but they did not see the shingle bank until the life-boat was close to it. It was too late to do anything, and she struck and swung- round. Four of the men jumped out of her and straightened her so that she would come off stern first. They jumped aboard again, but as the boat was coming off a big sea caught her and washed the coxswain overboard.

He was quickly seized by the second coxswain and dragged in again, but the engines had stopped and could not be restarted. When the boat was- examined later a stone was found to be firmly wedged between the propeller shroud and the tunnel, and had to be knocked out with a hammer. When her engines stopped, the life-boat was washed ashore, and the crew could not refloat her as the tide was ebbing. It was then just after eight o'clock. The launching tractor was sent for and hauled her up above high-water mark.

Three days later she was relaunched and returned to her station. There she was found to be undamaged. The mys- terious lights which had led the life- boat inshore were thought to be the lights of rabbit-catchers.

As soon as the district officer df coast- guard learned that the life-boat was ashore he telephoned to Douglas and Peel. The Douglas life-boat was launched at 9.17 and carried out a wide search from the north of the Point of Ayr to Ballacash Bank, but saw nothing except a salvage tug which was also searching. She did not return to her station until noon on the following day, having then been at sea for fifteen hours. For another two hours the crew stood by until it was learned that the Peel life-boat had returned.

The Peel life-boat was launched at 9.45, made for the Point of Ayr, and then searched widely to the westward as far as the Irish coast. She found no sign of the Teasel and returned to her station at 1.45 in the afternoon of the following day. She had then been at sea for sixteen hours.

Bodies and wreckage of the Teasel were found later, and it is probable that she capsized, with the loss of all her eight men, shortly aftei she had reported that she had a heavy list.— Rewards, Ramsey, £39 3s*; Douglas, £46 15*.; Peel, £48..