Weymouth, Dorset. At 9.16 on the evening of the 3rd August, 1961, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that a single red flare had been seen three to four miles from Portland Bill. A yacht had been reported in the area a short time before. There was a moderate south-westerly wind with a moderate sea, and the tide was flooding.

At 9.40 the life-boat Lloyd's, on tem- porary duty at the station, put out. She found the yacht Fylanna being towed by the tanker Esso Lyndhurst. The tiller of the yacht had broken. The life-boat escorted the two vessels to Portland harbour and then returned to her station, arriving at 1.25..