Rhyl, Flintshire - At 4.30 a.m. on 22nd September, 1969, the honorary secretary received an anticipatory message from the coastguard reporting that a speedboat with three men on board was overdue from a fishing trip. At 8.13 the coastguard requested the assistance of the life-boat in locating the missing craft. The life-boat Har-Lil was launched at 8.40 in a strong westerly wind with a rough sea. It was three hours after low water. She made a box search of the area to the Dee estuary, and at 11.3 reported the recovery of a foam cushion, which was believed to have come from the speedboat. Five minutes later the life-boat came up with the capsized boat with one survivor clinging to the hull. He was suffering from the effects of prolonged immersion and exposure.

After receiving first aid aboard the life-boat he was winched up by a helicopter, which had taken part in the search, and carried to hospital at Rhyl. The search for the two men missing from the boat was continued until 1.50 p.m. without success. The life-boat was then recalled, returning to her station with the speedboat in tow at 4.45..