Lerwick, Shetlands.—At 9.38 on the morning of the 31st of January, 1953, the coastguard telephoned to say a man at Skellister had reported that two men had left Gletness Nesting in aten-feet rowing boat at 7.30 to attend to their fishing lines, but had not returned. The weather had worsened suddenly, and, at 10.15 the life-boat Lady Jane and Martha Ryland left her moorings and searched widely in a whole northerly gale with a very rough sea. The motor fishing boat John West asked the life-boat to escort her to Malakoff pier, and the life-boat broke off the search, escorted her in about noon, and then put to sea again.

However, visibility was now poor, and the life-boat returned to Malakoff pier and her crew had some food. At 4.5 in the afternoon the life-boat put out again, searched the Isles of Gletness, but found no trace of the men or their boat. She reached her station again at 6.10. The men lost their lives, and the rowing boat was driven ashore and smashed to pieces by the sea.— Rewards, £23 2s. Qd..