Walton and Frinton, Essex, and Clac- ton-on-Sea, Essex. — At 1.12 on the afternoon of the 20th of August, 1952, the Walton-on-the-Naze coastguard reported that a message had been received from the North Foreland radio station that the motor vessel Michel Steenden, of Rotterdam, was in distress and drifting between the Galloper andSunk lightvessels and had asked for a tug. The Clacton-on-Sea life-boat was launched, but the Walton and Frinton life-boat E.M.E.D. was return- ing from Rowhedge after a routine survey. A wireless message was sent to hasten her, but she had also picked up the distress message and arrived at Walton at 3.20. She left on service at 3.40, in a rough sea and strong northerly breeze, and a steamer wire- lessed that the Michel Stmenden was four miles south-south-east of the Sunk Head Tower. An aircraft sig- nalled the position to the life-boat, which found the vessel at 5.20 in the evening three and a half miles south of the Sunk Towers. The Michel Swenden was aground on Longsand Sands and had lost her rudder, and her cargo of timber had shifted. She was making very heavy weather, and the master asked the life-boat to stand by until a tug arrived. At 5.20 the next morning the tug Adrian Letzer, of Flushing, making for the position, also ran ashore on Longsand Sands about three miles south of the Towers and a mile from the Michel Swenden. She blew her siren for the life-boat, which then went to her, but as she was ex- pected to refloat on the rising tide, the life-boat returned to the Michel Swenden. However, about 6.50 the tug asked for the life-boat again, and the life-boat found her rolling heavily and her crew of fifteen trying to abandon her in two boats. One of the boats broke away, with six men on board, and with great difficulty the life-boat towed her back to the tug.

Six men were in the other boat, and the life-boat took them all aboard.

She put them aboard the tug again at eight and at 10.5 the tug refloated.

Early in the afternoon the life-boat helped the tug put a rope aboard the Michel Sii'endcn, and she started to tow. The rope parted, but a new tow-line was made fast, and the tug and the Michel Swenden made for Harwich. At seven that evening the Adrian Letzer asked for another tug, but none was available, and the vessels anchored off the Cork Spit buoy. The life-boat returned to her station at 10.30 that night for fuel and food, and at five the next morning, the 22nd, put out again. At 10.30 thetug started towing again, accompanied by the life-boat, and another tug arrived at 12.15 that afternoon. The Michel Szvenden was taken into Har- wich Harbour and anchored there, and the life-boat returned to her station, arriving at 2.30. The Clacton-on- Sea life-boat was not needed.—Pro- perty Salvage Case. Rewards (Clac- ton-on-Sea), £21 16s. 9d..