LIFEBOAT MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

Advanced search

The S.S. Goldstone and the S.S. Naranco (1)

Dover, and Dungeness, Kent. At 3 46 on the morning of the 23rd of August, 1959, the coastguard informed the honorary secretaries of both stations that the s.s. Goldstone of Panama had collided with the s.s. Naranco of Gijon, Spain, east-north-east of Dungeness and that the Naranco had sunk. At 4.15 the Dover life-boat Southern Africa left her moorings in a slight sea. There was a light north-westerly breeze and it was one hour after high water. While the life-boat was making for the position the coastguard reported that the Gold- stone had picked up nineteen survivors eight miles east-by-north of Dungeness but that two men were still missing.

As the life-boat was nearing the position a capsized dinghy was sighted with a man lying across her keel. The life- boat went alongside, and the man was lifted on board, where he was treated for exposure and shock. The life-boat then met the Goldstone, and the nine- teen survivors were transferred to her.

She then returned to her station, arriv- ing at 7.30. The Dungeness life-boat Mabel E. Holland was launched at 4.2 and also searched, but she found nothing. She returned to her station at 11.45. Rewards to the crew, Dover, £9 16s. ; Dungeness, £20 5s.. Rewards to the helpers on shore ; Dungeness, £23 15s..