ST MARY'S, ISI.KS OK sciu.v, Saturday July 26, 1986: the crew of the 52ft Arun class relief lifeboat Duchess of Kent, on temporary duty at St Mary's, assembled, ready to launch, after Falmouth Coastguard telephoned to say that a powered glider had engine trouble eight miles to the north east of Scilly. Twelve minutes later the lifeboat launched when the news came through that the aircraft had ditched into the sea. A Royal Navy search and rescue helicopter was first on the scene and succeeded in winching the two occupants from the floating wreck. The lifeboat then arrived and took the ironically registered G-WAVE in tow. Fortunately there was only a gentle breeze blowing and a slight sea and the glider was successfully brought ashore at Forth Mellon beach. photograph by courtesy of Frank Gibson..