ON Monday, 2yth December, 1965—Boxing Day—a great many people were appalled on hearing the news of a disaster which had overtaken the oil rig Sea Gem which collapsed and sank in the North Sea. The oil rig, which belonged to the British Petroleum Co., had been the first to strike natural gas in the North Sea. Her position was some 47 miles north-by-west of Cromer and some 36 miles east-by-north of Spurn Point.

There were 32 members of the crew on the oil rig. Five were known to have died in the disaster, nineteen were saved by the s.s. Baltrover and eight men were still not accounted for.

Four life-boats were called out to search for the survivors. They were the Humber, Cromer No. i, Skegness and Wells boats, and they spent a total of 113 hours at sea. They were unable to find any survivors.The first life-boat to be launched was the Humber boat City of Bradford HI, which is one of the 46-foot 9-inch Watson class. She put out at 2.40 in the afternoon and arrived off the scene of the casualty at 7.30. She carried out an extensive search of the area in conjunction with aircraft and other vessels and returned to her station at 4.25 a.m. on the 29th December after being at sea for nearly 38 hours.

The Skegness life-boat Charles Fred Grantham, which is one of the 37-foot Oakley class, was launched at 6.30 a.m. on the 28th December. She carried out a thorough search north-north-east to the Dowsing lightvessel and thence to the position of the casualty. She returned past the Humber lightvessel down the coast to Skegness. This life-boat reached her station at 8.2 p.m. after fourteen hours of service.

The Cromer No. I life-boat Henry Blogg, which is one of the 46-foot type, was launched at 10.40 a.m. on 28th December. She too searched the area of the casualty and stood by while salvage operations were attempted. After 27 hours at sea the Cromer life-boat reached her station at 1.40 p.m. on 29th December. She was relieved by the Wells life-boat Tom Neathercoat, another of the 37-foot Oakley class, which was launched at midnight on 28th December and also stood by during salvage operations. She reached her station at 8.30 p.m. after 21 hours of service.

TOOK SKIN DIVERS At 11.15 a-m- on 3otri December the Humber life-boat again launched to take a party of skin divers to the wreck, whose task was to inspect the oil rig in case any survivors had been trapped on board. The life-boat helped with salvage operations and returned to her station at 8.20 p.m. after another 10 hours of service.

These combined searches were carried out in northerly winds of up to gale force and a very heavy swell. Sleet and rain were falh'ng intermittently during the whole period.

The service rewards paid by the Institution to the members of the crews of the four life-boats totalled £584 IDS. The British Petroleum Co. made a donation in recognition of the services of the crews..