At 5.41 p.m. on 8th September, 1966, a German ship reported that a French sailing yacht was leaking twenty nine miles south east of St.

Catherine's Point, and that the yacht could hold out for two to three hours by using pumps. The life-boat Jesse Lumb was launched at 5.55. It was one hour after high water. A helicopter also proceeded.

The life-boat met the warship Whitby, which had taken the ketch Jezebel of Le Havre in tow, and took over the tow at 8.31. She took the ketch back to the life-boat station. The Jesse Lumb arrived back on station at 10.30..