GALE CAUSES DEATHS AND DAMAGE

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 August 1948, Page 5

GALE CAUSES DEATHS AND DAMAGE

(Reed. 10.55 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 8. A number of yachts around the south coast are missing from their moorings and many are in difficulties in the Channel in the teeth of a 70mile an hour gale, which lashed Britain. Lifeboats brought off the crews from small craft in distress.

Eight of the 13 aboard were drowned when a huge wave capsized, within sight of harbour in Brittany, the trawler Petite Amie, which was taking holiday makers on a pleasure cruise to Perros.

Shipping and aircraft are still searching the Channel for five men in lifebelts who were reported missing after the crew of six abandoned a Dutch yacht. A man from this yacht was picked up after he had been in the water for six hours.

When another yacht went ashore near Ventnor and became a total wreck, the nine occupants were rescued by breeches buoy. The Newhaven lifeboat answered distress signals from the 7177-ton United States ship, William Hawkins, as she lay off Beachyhead. The lifeboat could not go alongside because of the heavy seas. The high sea piled shingle over south coastal roads and left pleasureresorts devastated. Huge waves showered spray 60 feet high over waterfront houses. Rivers overflowed their banks and wrought havoc to grain crops. The gale stripped Kent orchards of fruit and caused a heart-breaking setback to the farmers in many districts.