TOWED TWO At 3.57 p.m. on 24th September, 1964, the police told the coxswain that a vessel was on fire off Epple Bay. There was a moderate sea with a fresh southerly breeze. The tide was one hour past high water. At 4.10 the life-boat North Foreland (Civil Service No. u) was launched.

Soon afterwards a helicopter also assisting in the rescue operation reported that a small boat was being blown out to sea and that a flare which had been dropped had landed very close to the boat, giving it the appearance of being on fire. Two boats were found by the flare. One was a rowing boat with one man aboard which had come out to help the other, an outboard motor boat with her engine broken down and with four people aboard. As both boats were being blown out to sea the life-boat took the two crews aboard and towed their boats to Minnis bay, where they were beached safely. The life-boat returned to her station at 5.50..