Life-boat O.N.803 at Sheerness - At 3.40 p.m. on 22nd February, 1970, the coastguard told the honorary secretary that a dinghy had capsized near Minster wartime defence boom.

The life-boati Canadian Pacific slipped her moor ngs four minutes later in a fresh south westerly wind and a moderate sea. It was one and a half hours after high water. Shortly afterwards a second dinghy was reported overturned in the same area.

One of the dinghies was sighted waterlogged about two miles east of the boom. She was the Pioneer and her sole crew member was rescued suffering from exposure. He was given dry clothing and blankets. A search was then made for the second boat and at 4.54 she was recovered about three miles east of Garrison point. Although a long and extensive search was made, in which a helicopter from Thorney Island took part in reducing visibility and a heavy rainstorm, the crew of the second dinghy were not found. The lifeboat returned to her station at 7.40..