Brig Lily: New memorial commemorates Manx maritime disaster

A new plaque has been unveiled to honour the 29 men killed when a ship exploded off the Isle of Man more than 170 years ago.

The blast happened on the Brig Lily, which had been wrecked on Kitterland, on 27 December 1852.

Five of the ship's crew perished, with the remaining eight rescued by local men from the nearby Port St Mary village.

Tragedy struck for a second time when an operation to salvage the ship's cargo, which included gunpowder, was launched the following day with devastating consequences.

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11 September 2023