At 7.23 p.m. 27th June, 1967, it was learned that a distress message had been received from a vessel in a position threemiles north east of Whitby. The life-boat Mary Ann Hepwonh was launched at 7.30 in a calm sea. It was one and a half hours after high water. The casualty, the motor fishing vessel Summer Rose, was found at 8 o'clock. A burst water pipe had flooded the engine room and she was without power or light. The life-boat took her in tow to Whitby and returned to her station at 9.30..