Remembering the Joanna C Tragedy: Two Fishermen Lost at Sea
Today marks two years since the heartbreaking sinking of the fishing vessel Joanna C off the Sussex coast near Newhaven. The disaster claimed the lives of two fishermen, shaking the local maritime community.
Rescue Efforts After the Joanna C EPIRB Alert
On the morning of 21st November 2020 at 6am, HM Coastguard received an EPIRB distress alert from the Joanna C, roughly three nautical miles off Seaford, close to Newhaven.
Quick action saw Coastguard rescue helicopters deployed from Lydd and Lee On Solent, backed by RNLI all-weather lifeboats from Newhaven and Eastbourne. Local coastguard teams scoured the shoreline in a desperate search for survivors.
Heroic Search Ends in Tragedy
- Three fishermen were on board when the Joanna C sank.
- One crew member was rescued from the sea by the Newhaven RNLI lifeboat and rushed to shore.
- Two others — Adam Harper, 26, from Brixham, and Robert Morley, 38, from Pembrokeshire — were tragically lost.
Adam’s body was recovered from the wreck on 24 November. Robert’s body washed ashore in Bexhill on 14 December but was only released to his family after formal identification in February. His funeral took place on 8 March, featuring a poignant harbour procession in Newhaven followed by a family cremation in Brighton.
Permanent Memorial for Fallen Fishermen
In memory of Robert Morley and others lost at sea, his family campaigned hard for a lasting tribute along the Sussex coast. Raising over £20,000, they funded a £13,000 sculpture unveiled on 28 April 2022 — Robert’s 40th birthday — at the edge of Newhaven port by the River Ouse.
The memorial also honours four other fishermen lost to the sea:
- Darren Brown, who fell overboard in 2016 from Our Sarah Jane
- Joe Bowen, Andrew Penfold, and John Ship, who perished when the Sylvia Marita sank in 1979
The intense search and rescue mission lasted more than 13 hours before being stood down. Our thoughts remain with the families and friends of those lost in this tragedy.
