Southend-on-Sea, Essex. At 7.58 on the evening of the 20th of October, 1957, the coastguard telephoned to say a vessel was flashing S.O.S. and burning distress rockets south of Swatchway buoy. The life-boat Greater London II (Civil Service No. 30) was launched in a rough sea. There was a moderate south-westerly gale blowing and the tide was flooding. The life-boat found the cabin cruiser Vandra, of London, drifting with cwo men and a woman on boprd. She took her in tow to South- end, arriving at 9.40. Property Salvage Case..