On the afternoon of the 25th June the sailing boat Nancy put out from West Hartle- pool, with four men and one woman on board, to fish. At 2.35 A.M. on the 26th the coastguard reported that the boat had not returned. The weather was very thick, but the wind and sea were moderate. The Hartlepool pilot cutter had already searched without success. At 3.15 A.M. the motor life- boat F. W. Archer was launched, and at 3.45 A.M. she found the missing boat, and towed her to West Hartlepool.

The life-boat returned to her station at 5 A.M. A donation was received from the father of one of the rescued.