The three men who went missing two years ago aboard the boat Simply Red did not sound as though they were in distress and did not ask Harbour Radio for help, an inquest heard yesterday.

Randy Outerbridge, 30, and his brother Geoffrey, 25, both of Warwick and 27-year-old George Minks, of Pembroke, went missing January 26, 1993.

The trio had gone fishing on a 20-foot, red and white Cutty Cabin and they have not been seen since.

The former owner of the Simply Red , Michael Fletcher, said the boat was new when he bought it in 1987 in Miami. When he later sold it to the Outerbridges he said the boat had life jackets, flares, anchors and other safety devises .

He described the boat as "a good, seafaring boat'' and when he sold it "everything was in working order''.

The mother of the Outerbridge brothers, Mrs. Verona Outerbridge, said her sons had bought the boat together and had put it in her name because they wanted her to be involved with it.

She said: "Randy loved fishing even as a child -- he was good around boats.'' Mrs. Outerbridge added that Randy worked as plumber and was a father of two while Geoffrey had one child.

She told Magistrate the Wor. Edward King, who presided over the inquest, that the boat was equipped with all required safety equipment. Adding that her sons even bought more rope and two new batteries.

The last time she saw both of her sons was on January 24, 1993.

Mrs. Barbara Smith, mother of George Minks, said her youngest son loved to go fishing, and was good friends with the Outerbridge brothers. She had no idea that day that her son went fishing and found out later from friends.

Fisherman, Monty Ible gave a statement to Police and said he spoke to the Simply Red around 11.30 a.m. the day in question and they did not sound like they were in trouble.

"I heard on the radio a guy ask if anyone was on the banks. I told him yes.

He said OK we're coming.'' Ible left the Challenger Banks around 1.30 p.m. and never saw the boat.

Timothy Wittleman, the radio officer at Harbour Radio in St. George's who was on duty that day, said around 4.31 p.m. a weak signal came in from the Simply Red and that they did not sound in distress.

Wittleman said he thought they had a low battery or were far from the Island.

He said they told him there were three people on board and they were on the south west breaker.

Wittleman read aloud the transcript of the conversation with the Simply Red which recorded him saying "Your communications are unreadable. I understand you don't need help''.

At 4.41 the transcript recorded a request made for "boats to keep a look out for a red and white craft, possible in need of assistance. Any vessel in the area please try to secure contact.'' Family member Mrs. Matie Darrell asked Wittleman that if he felt the boat was not in distress then why did he ask other boats to look out for the Simply Red .

Wittleman said: "Basically what I was doing was covering procedure of search and rescue where information -- although not in itself is of an important nature -- could be deemed useful if circumstances change.'' The inquest will continue on Monday before Mr. King and is being conducted by Police prosecutor Sgt. Rex Osborne.