Lythatn-St. Anne's, Lancashire, and New Brighton, Cheshire - At sevenminutes past midnight on I5th October, 1966, the coastguard informed the coxswain of the Lytham-St. Anne's life-boat that a fishing boat which left Crossens at 10 o'clock the previous morning had not returned. The life-boat Edward Z. Dresden, on temporary duty at the station,slipped her moorings at 12.50. a.m.

It was half an hour after high water. She proceeded down river and searched southwards along the coast to Formby.

At 9.47 the Preston pilot boat sighted a vessel answering the description of the missing boat, near the C.2. buoy in the Mersey river. The New Brighton life-boat Norman B. Corktt left her moorings at 10.15 and proceeded to the casualty. The Lytham-St. Anne's lifeboat returned to her station at 10.30 and her crew stood by in case they were needed. The New Brighton life-boat was directed to meet the pilot cutter Puffin and take over the tow. She met the Puffin, took the motor fishing vessel Diana, which had apparently been abandoned, in tow, and proceeded towards New Brighton. When they neared the R.io buoy, however, the Diana sank. The life-boat returned to her station at noon.

The crew of the Lytham-St. Anne's lifeboat had stood down when the New Brighton life-boat took over the tow..