Exmouth, Devon - At 4.11 p.m. on 3rd May, 1967, it was learned that the skipper and six men aboard a pontoon laying a new sewer outfall at Dawlish Warren were marooned. The motor boat, which normally serviced the pontoon, was unable to make contact owing to the onset of high winds and heavy seas. The life-boat Michael Stevens was launched at 4.29 in a south south easterly gale and a rough sea. It was one hour after high water. The casualty was reached at 5.20. Approach was made difficult by the presence of a fixed iron gantry protruding from the pontoon at cockpit level. After two attempts all the crew were taken aboard. Shortly afterwards the anchor cables on the 200 ton pontoon snapped and the vessel went on the rocks near Langstone Point. The men were landed at Exmouth and the life-boat returned to her station at 6.45..