Incredible photos show the moment a stricken yachtsman stranded 500 miles off the Cornish coast was rescued by a supertanker in 13 foot sw...
Incredible photos show the moment a stricken yachtsman stranded 500 miles off the Cornish coast was rescued by a supertanker in 13 foot swells.
A commercial ship coordinated with the French sea patrol and the RAF to rescue a yachtsman and his yacht.
The French sea patrol and the RAF were able to get to the unharmed yachtsman 500 miles off the coast in the Atlantic Ocean after he registered an emergency alert.
The Seaways Reymar, a 229-metre supertanker, was 20 hours away from Helena (pictured) when it diverted to help save the stricken yachtsman in 13 foot swells
But his yacht, Helena, was disabled and without a mast and the man needed to be safely removed from the boat.
The Seaways Reymar, a 229-metre supertanker, was 20 hours away from Helena and reached the yacht the day after the emergency signal was registered.
In 13 foot swells the ship's crew and master worked for eight hours to get the yachtsman to safety.
Seaways Reymar's (pictured) crew and master worked for eight hours to get the stranded yachtsman to safety
HM Coastguard's Matthew West said: 'This long distance rescue has involved coordination with the French Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre and support from the RAF because at 500 miles offshore it is well beyond the range of rescue helicopters.
'The yachtsman was rescued by tremendous seamanship demonstrated by the master and crew of the 'Seaways Reymar', who diverted their course and remained on scene for eight hours to ensure the safe recovery of the sailor.
'As well as the skipper's EPIRB satellite beacon which first alerted us to the situation on Friday, we were also aided by the fact that the vessel was transmitting on AIS which was very helpful in pinpointing the position of the yacht'
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