At 10.3 p.m. on 30th March, 1968, the coastguard reported that the s.s. Alice Bowater had a sick man aboard suffering from acute abdominal pain. The vessel was then about 120 miles east of Spurn head.

Arrangements were made to meet the vessel at the Haisbro' lightvessel at 3.30 a.m. on the 31st March. The life-boat Ruby and Arthur Reed was launched with a doctor on board at 2.26 a.m. in a moderate westerly breeze and a slight sea. It was three hours before high water. The lifeboat came up with the Alice Bowater at 3.25 and the doctor went aboard to examine the sick man. The patient and and doctor were then transferred to the life-boat, which took them to Cromer and returned to her station at 4.45. Later an operation was performed and the man had his appendix removed..