On July 27, 1952 this aircraft was dispatched from Wheelus AFB in an attempt to rescue 32 survivors of a Tropic Airways DC-3, ZS-DFB, which had ditched in the Mediterranean Sea due to engine failure. Despite heavy seas it made a successful water landing and took all 32 survivors aboard from their life rafts and waited for surface vessels to arrive. the SA-16 was damaged by metal lifeboats transferring survivors to the ship to the extent that it couldn't fly back to base. it was further damaged being towed back and is seen here being pulled from the water after arriving. Scrapped April 1953.