Humber, Yorkshire - At 12.25 a.m.

on 13th October, 1968, it was learnt that a small boat with five men aboard was ashore near Patrington Haven. As the tide was ebbing the small boat was in no immediate danger. The boarding boat was launched with some difficulty and the life-boat The Princess Royal (Civil Service No. 7), with the boarding boat in tow, slipped her moorings at 2 o'clock. There was a strong south westerly wind gusting to gale force with a rough sea. It was one hour before low water. The life-boat made for the scene but was unable to find the casualty, which was then asked to fire a flare.

Because of her position it was decided that the life-boat should lay off and the boarding boat be used to transfer the men. The boarding boat was manned by the bowman and another member of the crew. As the boarding boat was about to leave, the heavy swell swept the boarding boat against the life-boat and the boarding boat's outboard engine support brackets sheared, causing the engine to fall into the sea. Fortunately theengine was quickly recovered by means of a safety rope. Now that the engine could not be used, the boarding boat had to be rowed threequarters of a mile to the casualty.

This was found to be the barge Reise working with the dredger Queen of Holland. As the five men did not want to leave the barge the boarding boat returned to the life-boat.

Worsening weather conditions, however, caused the master of the Queen of Holland to advise the five men to leave. The boarding boat returned to the barge and the five men were transferred to the life-boat. The lifeboat, which took the five men to the dredger, returned to her station at 10.40..