TWO LIFE-BOATS IN ALL-NIGHT SEARCH Torbay, and Exmouth, Devon. At 10.44 on the night of the 16th August, 1962, the Brixham coastguard passed on a report from a boat-owner, whose son had put out in a 20-foot motor boat three hours earlier to search for another of his father's boats and had not returned. At 11.20 the life-boat Princess Alexandra of Kent put to sea in a strong south-south-west breeze, a moderate sea and an ebb tide. She searched widely in rain squalls, and at three o'clock the life-boat Cecil and Lilian Philpott, on temporary duty at Exmouth, was also launched. Both life-boats searched all night, but they found nothing and it was decided to ask for the help of a helicopter at daybreak. The coastguard asked the R.A.F. at Chivenor for a helicopter, and at 5.50 one was airborne.

By the time the helicopter reached the area the Torbay life-boat had found the missing boat off Hope's Nose, Torquay.

She escorted her to Paignton harbour, carrying out an exercise with the helicopter on the way, and reached her station at eight o'clock. The life-boat Cecil and Lilian Philpott returned to Exmouth at 7.40..