Torbay, Devon - At 8.45 p.m. on June, 1967, the coastguard and the honorary secretary conferred with regard to an unidentified 'Mayday' call which had been received. It was decided not tolaunch the life-boat until further information became available. At 1.58 the next day the coastguard reported that a body had been recovered and identified as the son of the bowman of the life-boat who had been afloat in the motor trawler Casita. The life-boat Princess Alexandra of Kent slipped her moorings at 4 p.m. in a light east north easterly wind and a choppy sea to carry out a search for the second member of the crew. It was three hours after high water. A body supported by a life-jacket was found two miles south east of the Skerries buoy in Start Bay. It was identified as the second member of the crew of the motor trawler Casita. It was believed that there had been an explosion on board and that the two crew members had died later from exposure.

The body was landed at Brixham and the life-boat returned to her moorings at 7 o'clock. The life-boat crew declined to accept any allowance from the Institution for this service..