Blackpool, Lancashire - At 10.40 a.m. on 4th June, 1966, the owners of the drilling rig BedfordX stated that the rig was in danger a quarter of a mile west of the central pier owing to a large steel caisson having broken loose. There were seven men on board the rig. The sea was rough with a strong wind from the south west. It was almost high water.

As the life-boat and carriage neared the beach a red flare was fired from the drilling rig. The IRB and the life-boat Maria Noble were immediately launched. As there were steel hawsers around the rig the lifeboat coxswain instructed the IRB to rescue the men two at a time. The survivors were transferred to the life-boat as it was too dangerous to land them from the IRB on the beach. When the seven men had been rescued the life-boat and IRB returned to their station, arriving at 11.40..