Valentia, Co. Kerry.—At 8.5 in the morning of the 29th of September, 1951, Valentia Radio reported that a man was adrift in a ship's boat off the Bull Rock Lighthouse, and the life- boat A.E.D. was launched at 8.20. A south-easterly gale was blowing with a very rough sea. The life-boat reached the position given at eleven o'clock and searched until dusk, but all that she found was some wreckage.

She arrived back at her station at 8.38 that night. Next morning at seven o'clock she put out again, but again found nothing and returned to her station at 2.30 in the afternoon.

It was learnt that the Spanish trawler Maria Natividad, of Pasajes, had struck a submerged rock and had sunk. Six of her crew of thirteen were lost but the other seven had been rescued by another trawler. The Spanish government sent its special thanks to the Institution.—Rewards, £36 18s. 6d..