CHANNEL SEARCH It was learnt at 4.15 a.m. on 11th January, 1971, that an explosion had taken place at sea about one and a half miles west of the Varne Bank and that a tug was making for the spot. It was later established that the tanker Texaco Caribbean of Panama had been in collision with the m.v.

Caracas and that the tanker's bow section had been severed following the impact and had sunk immediately.

The Dungeness life-boat Mabel E. Holland was launched at 4.26 in a fresh east north easterly wind with a choppy sea. The Dover lifeboat Fathful Forester slipped her moorings at 4.36. Both boats then searched the area.The Dungeness life-boat came up with the stern section of the Texaco Caribbean at 5.40 and made an extensive search in the vicinity without finding any survivors. The search by the Dover lifeboat also proved fruitless. Twenty-one survivors taken off the tanker's still floating stern section by the Norwegian m.v. Bravagos were transferred to the Faithful Forester and landed at Doverwhere ambulances were waiting to take them to hospital. Fortunately, none were seriously injured.

After re-fuelling the Dover life-boat returned to the area and resumed the search in cooperation with a helicopter. The search was abandoned at 1.15 p.m. and the Dungeness lifeboat, which had searched continuously for almost 10 hours, returned to her station at 2.17 and the Dover life-boat 33 minutes later..