[1][2] Three children are taken hostage by a man armed with a hand grenade and flick-knife.

[3] The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Technically, this is one of the best CFF films yet made, with lively location shooting (under clearly difficult and cramped conditions) on board the yacht, excellently controlled colour and a fine narrative pace.

Although the story rather obviously cashes in on current newspaper headlines, the predicament of the children is never exploited in a melodramatic way, and they respond in a realistic and spontaneous manner.

Richard Morant as the fugitive (we never discover what he has done) has a more difficult task, starting off in a somewhat actorish style, but later investing the character with just the right degree of desperate confusion.

"[4] Robert Shail wrote: "The film is packed with enough detail to pass for a visual manual on how to sail a small craft at sea ... ranks as one of its best seafaring adventures.