The Trawler Epine, An Icelandic Allegory

In Iceland, on the tip of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, the iron artifacts on the beach are remnants of a British Trawler, the Epine GY 7, which was wrecked east of Dritvik on the night of March 13, 1948. Five of the crew of 19 were saved. Rescue teams from nearby Arnarstapi, Hellnar and Hellissandur came to help, but the conditions were difficult, with bad weather and heavy seas. Members of the crew could be seen on the forecastle and wheelhouse and tied to the rigging. The tide was coming in and huge waves broke over the ship. One man was washed up on the beach still alive. After the tide turned it was possible to shoot out a line which the crew managed to tie to the mast, and the four men who were still alive were pulled to safety in a rescue seat. Read The Court Report of 1948 for the full story.