Newhaven, Sussex. At 2.11 on the afternoon of the 7th of September, 1958, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that a boat had capsized off Buckmere River and that one of her crew had swum ashore and the second was in the water. The life-boat Cecil and Lilian Philpott was launched at 2.20 in a choppy sea, with a south- westerly wind blowing and a flood tide.

When she reached the position a canoe was being carried along the beach, and the coxswain sent a radio-telephone message asking if this had any con- nexion with the incident. The coast- guard replied that there was no con- nexion, but that a man had been seen in the water east of Cuckmere River.

The life-boat found the man, who was unconscious, and the assistant mechanic jumped into the water to recover him.

Immediately the man was on board the life-boat the motor mechanic began artificial respiration. The man was then transferred to a fast R.A.F. air- sea rescue launch, and the life-boat mechanic went with him to continue giving treatment. The launch landed him, and he was taken by ambulance to hospital, but in spite of the treatment given by the motor mechanic, by a doctor and a police constable in the ambulance and by hospital staff after he arrived, he never regained con- sciousness. The life-boat reached her station at 4.50. At an inquest held later it was stated that the man, who had been swimming with his wife, had died of acute heart failure. Subse- quent reports indicated that no boat had capsized. Rewards to the crew, £9 8s. ; rewards to the helpers on shore, £3 14s..