MOTOR BOAT OVERDUE Selsey, Sussex. At 6.40 p.m. on 24th January, 1964, the coastguard told the honorary secretary that a motor boat with three men on board was overdue at Littlehampton. Mr. Andrews, a member of the Inshore Rescue Scheme, had put out in his motor boat to search for the missing boat and it was agreed to await his return before launching the life-boat.

There were light airs with a smooth sea, and the tide was ebbing. At 8.5 Mr.

Andrews returned after an unsuccessful search and the life-boat Canadian Pacific launched at 8.30 to continue the search.

At 9.24 a helicopter from Tangmere joined in the search whilst on night exercise, but later returned to base. The life-boat continued to search until 12.30 a.m. the next morning when, because of bad visibility caused by fog, she put into Littlehampton to await daylight. She set out again at 8.1 and continued the search but was recalled when visibility had improved sufficiently for an air search to be started, and returned to her station at 12.30 p.m. Twenty-five minutes later the life-boat launched again after the honorary secretary had heard from the coastguard that the air-sea rescue co-ordination centre, Tangmere, had found the motor boat Astronaut, four miles off Selsey Bill.

At 1.24 the coxswain was informed that the Nab pilot cutter had the Astronaut in tow, and a rendezvous was arranged one and a half miles north of Nab where the life-boat took over the tow and brought the motor boat with her three occupants safely to Selsey. The life-boat returned to her station at 3.20..