At 6.45 p.m. on i8th June, 1966, it was reported that a man had come ashore from a cabin cruiser which had run out of fuel off Camber. The casualty was anchored offshore. At 6.53 the Rye police indicated that there were four women and two men still on board. The life-boat Mabel E. Holland was launched at 7.15 in a moderate to fresh west south westerly wind and a choppy sea. It was an hour and three quarters after low water. When the life-boat reached the cabin cruiser Dagenham she found that the occupants had been taken off by a boat from Rye harbour. After putting two men on board the life-boat towed her to Rye harbour.

On the way back to her station a light, flashing a distress signal, was sighted.

The life-boat searched the area, but without success, and arrived back on station at 12.5 a.m..