Yarmouth, Isle of Wight - At 8.57 a.m. on 26th March, 1967, a yacht, in a position three miles south east of the Needles, was seen firing red flares. The life-boat The Earl and Countess Howe proceeded at 9.18 on a flooding tide. There was a gale from the west with a rough sea.

Four miles south east of the Needles the life-boat came up with the auxiliary cutter Alchemist whose sails had been carried away. Her engine had failed. The yacht was taken in tow and brought safely into Yarmouth harbour, arriving at 12.55..