ADRIFT OVER 18 HOURS At 10.13 a-m- on 2^th July, 1964, the coastguard told the honorary secretary that the fleet auxiliary vessel Tidepool was standing by the converted ship's lifeboat Witch, which had broken down and was drifting nine miles off the river Tyne. There was a moderate to strong westerly breeze with a smooth sea. The tide was two hours before low water. At 10.25 the life-boat Tynesider was launched.

She found the Witch at 12.2 p.m. beam on to the seas. There were two crew members aboard. They had been adrift for over 1 8 hours and one of them was very sick. Both were put aboard the life-boat while a tow rope was made fast. Their boat was towed to the river Tyne where a police launch took over the tow and took the men aboard. The life-boat returned to her station at 2.45..