A Tragedy That Hit Seaham and the Country happened on Saturday 17th November 1962, on a fishing trip from Seaham in County Durham. Gordon Burrell, Donald Burrell his son David Burrell, George Firth and Joseph Kennedy were in a coble called Economy to go on a fishing trip when the coble started to take in water in rough seas. The George Elmy Seaham's lifeboat went to their rescue. The four were transferred from the coble into the lifeboat safely and they headed back to Seaham Harbour.
As the lifeboat reached the piers it was hit by two massive waves and overturned. John Miller, Arthur Brown, Leonard Brown, James Farrington and Fred Gippert the lifeboat crew all died, and the only survivor from the coble was Donald Burrell who had wrapped his arm around the propeller shaft to stay afloat. Tragically his son David who also died was only nine years old.
