ON the 14th of August, 1958, a disastrous accident occurred when a K.L.M.

Constellation aircraft crashed in the Atlantic more than 80 miles from the west-coast of Ireland. Ninety-nine people lost their lives. Life-boats were unable to effect any rescues, but two of them were engaged in an exceptionally long and arduous search.

The aircraft left Shannon airport for Gander at 4.5 in the morning. Shannon radio lost contact after a routine call had been made at 6.40, and a limited alert was therefore declared until a message was received from Gander stating that contact had been made with the aircraft. At 9.30 this message was cancelled and a full alert was declared.

Call from Airport Control The first communication made to a life-boat station was at 10.30, when the honorary secretary of the Fenit, County Kerry, station, Mr. Timothy Barrett, received a call from Shannon airport control.

Ten minutes later a similar call was made to the honorary secretary of the Galway Bay life-boat station, the Very Rev. Father Thomas Varley. In each case the information given was that contact had been lost with an aircraft bound for Gander, and no action was asked for until there was more definite news.

At 3.15 in the afternoon Shannon airport asked Mr. Barrett if the Fenit life-boat could be launched to the aircraft, which was now known to have crashed 80 miles west-north-west of the Arran Isles. A quarter of an hour later Father Varley was asked if the Galway Bay life-boat could be launched.

The position now given was approximately 82 miles from the Arran Isles and 95 miles from Fenit.

At 3.40 the Galway Bay life-boat Mabel Marion Thompson was launched.

This life-boat is one of the 46-feet Watson type, and her radius of action at full speed is 104 miles. There was a moderate north-westerly breeze with a slight sea. The weather was fine and visibility was good. Father Varley arranged with the owners of one of the island's ferry steamers already taking part in the search for the life-boat to refuel at sea if necessary.

Extra Fuel Taken At 4.30 the Fenit life-boat Peter and Sarah Blake was launched. This is one of the older 51-feet boats driven by petrol engines. Her radius of action at full speed is only 91 miles and extra fuel was taken on board and secured on deck in tins.

At 1.30 early on the morning of the 15th of August the Galway Bay lifeboat reached the area of search.

H.M.C.S. Crusader was co-ordinating the search and the task allotted to the life-boat was to join the outer ring of search vessels, which included a tanker, two large steamers and a number of trawlers. By this time the weather had deteriorated and there was a freshening south-westerly wind with an increasing sea.

At two o'clock Fenit life-boat sighted flares from an aircraft and altered course to search. These flares were markers from an R.A.F. Hastings aircraft which had been sent from Northern Ireland, and the life-boat later returned to the main area of search.

Four Bodies Found At five o'clock the Galway Bay lifeboat found four bodies in the sea.

Later she took on board one more body from a trawler and some wreckage from the aircraft which had been found.

At nine o'clock she left the area of search and at seven o'clock in the evening she reached Kilronan. There she refuelled and made for Galway, where she landed the bodies and wreckage. Altogether she was at sea for 31 hours.

The Fenit life-boat, after refuelling at sea had been carried out with considerable difficulty, left the search area at eight o'clock in the morning and arrived back at her station at 6.30 in the evening after an absence of 26 hours.

Galway Bay : rewards to the crew, etc., £62 ; reward to the helper on shore, £2 4s. Fenit : rewards to the crew, £55 11s. ; reward to the helper on shore. 16s. K.L.M. Royal Dutch Airlines made a donation to the Institution's funds..