TANKER ON FIRE Eastbourne and Newhaven, Sussex.

At 8.5 a.m. on 2yth March, 1965, the coastguard informed the honorary secretaries at Eastbourne and Newhaven lifeboat stations that the Liberian tanker Otto N. Miller of Monrovia was on fire and required assistance. The Newhaven life-boat Kathleen Mary was launched at 8.20 and the Eastbourne life-boat Beryl ToUemache five minutes later. There was a moderate south-westerly breeze and a moderate sea. The tide was ebbing. The position of the Otto N. Miller had been given as ten miles south of Beachy Head, and it was later learnt that the tanker had been in collision with the Norwegian tanker Nora of Bergen. At about 10 o'clock a message was received from the coastguard that the crew of the Nora, with the exception of her captain, had been taken on board the British motor vessel Vives, but that one man was missing and that the fire on board the Liberian tanker was under control.

Both life-boats with the help of a helicopter from R.A.F. station Mansion carried out a search for the missing man but all that could be found was a lifejacket.

The tanker Nora was also on fire and the Vives went alongside and at her master's request transferred her crew back on board. A tug was assisting the Liberian tanker and a tug was requested for the Nora. After a further search for the missing man, the Eastbourne life-boat brought ashore thirty-three survivors from the Nora, including two women—at the request of her Captain—and reached her station at 3.30 p.m. The Newhaven lifeboat stood by the Nora while the tug Meeching fought the fire on board her and when the master decided that the fire and towage was under control she left for her station with one of the Nora's crew on board, arriving at 5.30. p.m..