Lifeguards Swept Out Of Boat

Northern Advocate, 24 January 1939, Page 7

Lifeguards Swept Out Of Boat

(Received 10 a.m.)

LONDON, January 22,

It is believed seven men were drowned when the St. Ives’ lifeboat was lost in a terrific north-westerly gale, V ' , One member of the crew, named Freeman, was washed ashore injured. The crew was practically the same as that which went out to the steamer Alba on January 31, 1938, when the lifeboat capsized, but all the men were saved. A lifeboat was launched at 3 a.m. today in response to a summons from a steamer in distress between St. Ives’ and Land’s End. Full Fury of Gale The boat met the full fury of the gale when it left the shelter of St. Ives Bay. A red flare indicated that the lifeboat needed help/ but after that there was no sign.

It is believed a huge sea washed overboard seven of the crew, the majority of whom were j married men with families.

Mr, Freeman was able to cling to the boat, whicffi was later washed ashore.

The Padstow lifeboat also put out to a steamer disabled owing to the gale. The Penlee lifeboat is searching for the St. Ives’ crew. The steamer went ashore. Three of the crew were saved, but a fourth is feared to have been drowned. Crew’s Wonderful Record The St. Ives Lifeboat Association has announced that the families of those drowned will be pensioned. The crew was commanded by the 63-year-old coxswain, Mr. Thomas Cocking, whose crew in 15 months had saved 66 lives. Those drowned include Mr. Cooking's son and son-in-law and two brothers named Barber.