The Lizard-Cadgwith, Cornwall - At 8.30 a.m. on 4th December, 1969, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that a yacht had broken down about 16 miles south south east of the Lizard and had been calling for assistance since the early hours through Land's End radio. All efforts to obtain help from the Portof Falmouth and other centres had not been successful and the honorary secretary told the coastguard that the life-boat The Duke of Cornwall (Civil Service No. 33) would launch at 9.30 if further efforts to obtain help were unsuccessful. The coastguard were asked to inform the casualty, which had not fired any distress flares, of this decision. There was a light north westerly wind and a choppy sea. It was three hours before high water. In poor visibility with the help of a Royal Naval helicopter from Culdrose, the lifeboat found the motor fishing vessel Mike and Pat 18 miles south of the Lizard. Her fuel injection system had completely broken down,|and because of adverse weather reports it was decided to tow her to Falmouth.

The Mike and Pat was safely berthed at 4 p.m., and the life-boat reached her station at 8.30..