HELICOPTER RESCUE At 8.46 p.m. on 3ist May, 1964, the coastguard told the coxswain that a Swedish vessel had reported that a yacht was firing red flares one mile east of the Margate sands beacon. There was one hour before low water, and it was misty and overcast with a rapidly freshening east-north-east wind and a rough sea.

Weather conditions were worsening. At 8.56 the life-boat North Foreland (Civil Service No. 11} was launched. At 9.23 a message was received from a R.A.F. helicopter stating it was over the casualty the Ereina of Burnham, and that two of the five people on board the yacht had been taken off. The ow.ier asked the coxswain if he could safely stay on board but as the life-boat would be unable to reach the yacht for three or four hours as the tide was ebbing, the coxswain advised that he and the other two people be taken off by the helicopter. The life-boat re-entered Margate harbour at 2 a.m. An hour later she put to sea again and searched the Margate Sands for the yacht but could find no trace of her. Rehousing the lifeboat was delayed until next day because of the weather. The yacht was found later eight miles from the Isle of Sheppey..