FIREMEN TAKEN TO BELGIAN TRAWLER Selsey, Sussex. At 8.20 on the morning of 4th January, 1963, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that a trawler, later identified as the Belgian trawler Don Bosco, had her engine room on fire, and had asked for the help of the life-boat and of fire-fighting equipment.

The life-boat Canadian Pacific was launched at 8.47 on an ebbing tide. There was a light westerly breeze with a slight sea. The weather was fine. The life-boat, with portable fire-fighting equipment and firemen from Selsey on board, made for the casualty, which was alongside the Owers lightvessel. Shortly after launching, the Chichester fire brigade arrived at Selsey with foam and breathing apparatus. A helicopter from Tangmere, which had rescued three of the trawler's crew from a raft, was asked to transport this equipment and three more firemen to the life-boat.

The life-boat came up with the Don Bosco at 9.50 and was advised that the remaining two members of the crew were on board the lightvessel. The trawler had dense smoke coming from her with flames licking the wheelhouse, but although it was realized there was no one on board the firemen on board the life-boat tried to extinguish the fire.

This task was taken over by one of the Admiralty fire-fighting tugs which arrived on the scene, and when the fire was extinguished the vessel was taken in tow by one of the tugs to Southampton.

The two survivors on board the Owers lightvessel were transferred to the lifeboat and taken to Selsey, where they were handed over to the care of the local representative of the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society. The life-boat then returned to her station, arriving at 12.40..