Walmer, Kent. — At 7.24 in the morning of the 6th of April, 1949, the coastguard reported that the South Goodwin Lightship had fired guns to warn a vessel approaching the sands.

A little later news came that she was aground on the south part of the Goodwin Sands, and the life-boat Charles Dibdin, Civil Service No. 2, was launched at 7.55. A west-south- westerly breeze was blowing, with a rough sea. The life-boat found the s.s. Conceicao Maria, of Lisbon, bound laden to Newcastle-on-Tyne, with a crew of twenty-four. Life-boatmen boarded her and the life-boat laid out a kedge anchor about ten o'clock.

Then, when the tide rose, tugs were able to get tow-ropes to the steamer and she was refloated at 2.30. The life-boat accompanied her to the Downs, arranged for a pilot, and arrived back at her station at four in the afternoon.

—Property Salvage case..