U.S. AND SPANISH VESSELS IN COLLISION Hastings, Sussex. At 8.30 on the evening of the 27th March, 1963, a local resident informed the honorary secretary that he had seen a red flare southeast of Hastings. The life-boat M.T.C.

was launched at 8.45 in a gentle southwesterly breeze and a slight sea. It was one hour after low water. Soon after the life-boat was launched information was received from the coastguard that the s.s. Mormaclake of New York and another vessel had been in collision nine and a half miles south-east-by-east of Hastings. At 9.27 the coastguard reported that the American vessel did not require any help but that the other vessel, the motor vessel Conquistador, of Seville, needed a tug. The life-boat reached the position at 10.20 and stood by. The bow of the Conquistador was almost severed. The coxswain was unable to get the Spanish crew to understand his messages. When the French tug Hardi arrived eleven Spaniards who had boarded the Mormaclake earlier were transferred by the life-boat to the tug, which then took the Conquistador in tow with sixteen men still on board. No further help was needed and the lifeboat returned to her station, arriving at 2.15..