Yarmouth, Isle of Wight - At 8.50 p.m. on 17th October, 1967, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that a red flare had been seen north west of the Needles near the shingle bank. The life-boat The Earl and Countess Howe slipped hermoorings at 9.11 in strong westerly wind gusting to gale force and a choppy sea. The tide was flooding.

The life-boat found the motor fishing vessel Solent Gull of Poole, her engines broken down. The Solent Gull with a crew of two was taken in tow to Yarmouth, and the life-boat returned to her station at 10.20..