Memorial day for disaster victims

The tragic victims of the country’s worst ever lifeboat disaster will be remembered this weekend.

It’s 125 years since thirteen members of St Annes lifeboat crew lost their lives in the Mexico disaster out on the Ribble Estuary.

The boat had been launched, along with Lytham and Southport lifeboats, on the night of December 9 after the German barque Mexico – with 12 men on board – was wrecked at the mouth of the Ribble.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

All the Mexico’s crew survived and were brought safely back to Lytham, but all the St Annes crew and 14 of the Southport boat’s crew were killed.

The memorial service will be held on Sunday, December 11 at 10.30am in St John’s Church on East Beach, Lytham.

David Forshaw, from Lytham St Annes RNLI, said: “This was, and still is, the worst disaster to befall the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in its 187 year history.

“Twenty-seven volunteer lifeboat crewmen lost their lives that night attempting to save 12 total strangers.”

Related topics: