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Corallo and Nopal Branco (1)

St. Mary's, Scilly Islands, and The Lizard, Cornwall.—At eight o'clock on the morning of the 25th of March, 1957, it was reported that the motor vessels Corallo, of Trieste, and Nopal Branca, of Oslo, had been in collision and that the Italian vessel needed help 25 miles south-east of St. Mary's. Eight minutes later the life-boat Guy and Clare Hunter was launched in a smooth sea. There was a light south-westerly breeze and fog. The tide was flood- ing. The life-boat received several messages giving the position of the Corallo, and when it was known that she was seven miles east of Wolf Rock and steaming east at nine knots the life-boat was recalled. She reached her station at 10.45. Meanwhile the Lizard life-boat station had been alerted, and the life-boat Duke of York was launched at 9.51. A Shackleton aircraft was also sent out. The Lizard life-boat found the Corallo three miles south-west of the Lizard. Her port side had been torn to below the water- line and she had a list to starboard.

The life-boat escorted her to Falmouth harbour, arriving at 12.18. She then returned to her station, which she reached at 5.5. St. Mary's: rewards to the crew, £10 IDs.; rewards to the helpers on shore, £2 8s. The Lizard: rewards to the crew, £20 5s.; rewards to the helpers on shore, £13 8s..