At 3.37 p.m. on I4th June, 1966, there was an alert that a helicopter had crashed in the Solent near West Lepe buoy. The life-boat The Earl and Countess Howe left her moorings together with.

the IRB at 3.55 p.m. There was a lightwesterly wind and a smooth sea. The tide was flooding. A search was carried out between the East and West Lepe buoys, and the helicopter was eventually found about half a mile to the south of the entrance to Beaulieu river. Its tail was projecting above the water but there was no sign of the crew. The life-boat attached a buoy to the tail of the helicopter.

This was recovered later, when a R.N. helicopter attached another buoy to the machine. The IRB and life-boat returned to their station at 5.35 and 6.20 respectively..