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Royal Charter

Humber, Yorkshire. At 8.51 on the evening of the 12th August, 1961, the coastguard informed the coxswain superintendent that the fishing vessel Royal Charter was aground north- north-east of no. 53 buoy. There was a gentle southerly breeze and the sea was smooth. The weather was cloudy.

At 9.10 the life-boat City of Bradford III was launched on an ebbing tide.

She found the Royal Charter aground on Sunk sand with a net fouling her propeller. As the fishing vessel was in no danger, the coxswain decided to return to the station for the night to await the flooding tide. At 3.50 in the morning the life-boat weighed anchor to return to the casualty, which was beginning to float on the flooding tide.

The tide and wind were causing her bows to swing round to the shore.

A line was made fast to the life-boat, which pulled her bows into the tide.

The Royal Charter then floated off the sand, and having freed her propeller made for Grimsby. The life-boat re- turned to her station, arriving at 7.50..