Youghal, and Ballycotton, Co. Cork, and Helvick Head, Co. Waterford.—At ten o'clock on the night of the 21st of July, 1954, a woman told the Youghal life- boat coxswain that her husband and another man had put out from Youghal on a fishing trip in a fourteen-feet rowing boat fitted with an outboard motor, but had not returned. At 10.30 the life-boat Herbert John was launched, with the honorary secretary, Commander B. Arbuthnot, D.S.C., R.N., on board. She made a search in a slight sea, with a light north- westerly breeze blowing and an ebbing tide. She found nothing and went to Ardmore at 11.45 for news. It was learnt there that the boat was still missing, and the honorary secretary telephoned the Helvick Head and Ballycotton life-boat stations to ask for help in the search. At 12.30 early on the 22nd the Helvick Head life- boat H. F. Bailey was launched, and a quarter of an hour later the Bally- cotton life-boat Mary Stanford put out.

The Youghal life-boat resumed the search between Ardmore and Capel Island and the Mary Stanford searched in the Ballycotton area. The Helvick Head life-boat searched off Youghal, and about four o'clock she found the boat between eight and nine miles south of Youghal harbour. She rescued the two men and towed their boat to Helvick, reaching her station again at seven o'clock. The other life-boats then returned to their stations, Ballycotton arriving at 5.30 and Youghal at 6.30.—Rewards: Youghal, £18 6s.; Ballycotton, £18 5s.; Helvick Head, £11 11s..