Sunderland, Co. Durham. At 3.2 on the afternoon of the 26th of March, 1961, the coastguard informed the honorary sec- retary that the motor fishing vessel Linga was in difficulties one mile east of Souter Point. At 3.25 the life-boat Edward and Isabella Irwin was launched. There was a west-north-westerly wind with a mod- erate sea, and it was two hours after high water. The life-boat reached the Linga at four o'clock and took her in tow, but when half a mile south of South Shields the fishing vessel sank. Her crew of three were taken aboard the life-boat and landed at North Shields. The life- boat then returned to her station, arriv- ing at seven o'clock..