Dover, Kent - At 3.53 p.m. on 24th May, 1966, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that an open boat with two men in it had been seen drifting eastwards in the Channel. The life-boat Southern Africa was launched at 4.23 in a light north north westerly wind and a slight sea. She found the boat - a whaler - with two young men on board who said that they had fallen asleep in the boat and on waking had found themselves at sea.

The life-boat picked them up and towed the whaler back to Dover. She arrived back at her station at 6 o'clock..