Hastings, Sussex, and Dungeness, Kent. At 5.25 on the afternoon of the 13th of February, 1959, the honorary secretary at Hastings telephoned the coxswain of the Dungeness life-boat to ask if any of the local boats had seen the fishing boat Breadwinner of Hastings, which was overdue. The coxswain's son, who had been in the last boat to return from fishing that afternoon, reported that he had seen the Bread- winner at ten o'clock off Rye Harbour.

The honorary secretary at Hastings made further enquiries, and from the information given him he was of the opinion that the Breadwinner ought to have returned to harbour several hours earlier. At 6.38 the Hastings life-boat M.T.C. was launched, and at 7.50 it was decided also to launch the Dungeness life-boat Mabel E. Holland. There was a slight sea with light east-south- easterly airs and fog. The tide was ebbing. The fishing boat Breadwinner with a crew of two was found at ten o'clock by the Dungeness life-boat. Her engine had broken down at eleven o'clock that morning, and her skipper had unsuccessfully tried to repair it. He had waited until the ebb tide, hoping to sail his boat towards land, but the wind had dropped and he had been forced to anchor until help arrived. The Hastings life-boat reached the Breadwinner shortly afterwards and with the Dungeness life-boat standing by took the casualty in tow. She reached her station at 11.20, and the Dungeness life-boat arrived back at her station at 11.59.

A radar position of the casualty given to the life-boats' coxswains by the motor vessel Seaford was of great assistance.

Hastings : rewards to the crew, £14 5s.; rewards to the helpers on shore, £27 12s.

Dungeness : rewards to the crew, £18 5s. ; rewards to the helpers on shore, £20 16s..