LIFEBOAT DISASTER

Hokitika Guardian, 16 November 1928, Page 5

LIFEBOAT DISASTER

SIXTEEN OF CBKW DBOWNED

(United Press Association-—By Electric

Telegraph—Copyright)

(Received this day at 10 a.m.)

LONDON, Nov. 15

A lifeboat at Bye. Sussex, was swamped returning from an attempt to succour tbc- Latiiviau .steamer. Sixteen of till* crew were drowned, including tlie coxswain. Head, and bis two sons, four of a family mimed Reuttiug. and four of a iamily named Pope. There was a very violent gale in the Channel and the steamer Alice, laden with bricks, .sent out distress signals. A lifeboat put out at five a.m. though the seas wen* the lienvest known for thirty years. Another vessel rescued tlx* Alice's crew leaving the steamer to founder at Deuge marsh, hut the lifeboat on returning overturned nearing Bye harbour, wile re the crow constituted practically the entire male fishing population. There were very distressing scenes as the nine bodies were quickly washed to the foot of mothers and wives, who were stupefied with grief when they saw the boat disappear in the ( •rrili.e seas, which made it impossible for other l>onts to be launched. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. November 15. A tragic aspect of the loss of the Bye lifeboat is that five minutes alter it had put to sea, a message was received that the crew of the “ Alice ” had been taken aboard the German steamer “ Smyrna ” and that no assistance was required. Watchers on the elitls who saw the lifeboat capsize raced to the little village. Doctors, nurses and first aid men raced to a gap in the dills leading to the shore. A human chain was formed and up to their necks in the broiling surf volunteers fought to rescue the flouting dead bodies if nun their channel grave.

Later the lifeboat itself w;js hurled ashore by the waves with two oi the dead crow beneath it. Icn bodies have so far been recovered.