At 11.30 a.m. on 6th April, 1969, the second coxswain reported that a small boat was drifting out to sea towards the Chequers Shoal buoy.

The life-boat City of Bradford III was launched at 11.58 in a fresh north easterly breeze with a rough sea. It was two hours before low water. The life-boat came up with the motor boat Huntress, with four people on board, at 12.13 p.m.

Her engines were working again and the life-boat escorted her back towards the river mouth. At 12.49 the life-boat took the Huntress in tow to Spurn as she was making no headway against the ebb tide. The life-boat returned to her station at 1.54..