St. Ives, and Sennen Cove, Cornwall.— At 8.53 on the evening of the 24th of January, 1955, the St. Ives coastguard rang up the St. Ives life-boat station to say that a Firefly aircraft had crashed, and that men had been seen in a rubber dinghy eighteen miles north-north-west of St. Ives Head.

The position was later given as twenty-two miles west-north-west of St. Ives Head. At 9.14 the life-boat Edgar, George, Orlando and Eva Child was launched. There was a heavy ground swell, and a light north- easterly breeze was blowing. A steamer found two men in the dinghy and picked them up, but the pilot was missing. The life-boat searched for him all night, but did not find him.

At 12.53 early on the 25th the St.

Just coastguard asked if the Sennen Cove life-boat would relieve the St.

Ives life-boat, which intended break- ing off the search at eight o'clock. At five o'clock the life-boat Susan Ashley was launched. The sea was then smooth, and there was a light south- westerly breeze. The Sennen Cove life-boat searched the area twenty miles north of Longships in company with naval vessels, but found nothing.

The St. Ives life-boat reached her station again at 1.10 in the afternoon.

The search had been called off by the R.A.F. at nine o'clock in the morning, and the Sennen Cove life-boat was recalled to her station. As conditions were not suitable for rehousing her, she made for Newlyn, arriving at 2.30 in the afternoon. She was taken back to her station on the 28th.— Rewards: St. Ives, £38 6s. 6d.; Sennen Cove, £40 Is..