CLOSE TO SANDS At 10.13 P-m- on 29tn December, 1964, the coastguard told the honorary secretary that the South Goodwin lightvessel had reported that a vessel needed help because she was driving towards the Goodwin sands. Later the coastguard reported that the vessel required a tug and asked if the life-boat would launch and stand by until the tug arrived. The life-boat Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No. 32) was launched at 10.50 in a strong to gale force south-westerly wind and a rough sea. It was high water. At 11.45 the life-boat arrived alongside the motor vessel Costeiro Terceiro of Lisbon, which had an engine breakdown. Soon afterwards the small Dover harbour tug Diligent and the French tug Jean Ban arrived. By then the Costeiro Terceiro had managed to anchor about 500 yards off the sands. The life-boat remained alongside the vessel until the French tug had got her hi tow. The life-boat returned to her station at 1.45 a.m..