Royal Navy Airman Risks Life To Save Fellow Mariner

A Royal Navy airman has risked his life to save a fellow seafarer.

Air Engineering Technician Stu Rodgers, 29, almost drowned as he was lowered from a helicopter into choppy seas to attempt to save a merchant seaman whose ship had sunk, killing all other crew members.

Stu embarked on his urgent search and rescue mission from HMS Monmouth, taking off in a Wildcat helicopter just off the coast of Oman.

Debris and oil from the cargo ship was spotted, indicating the mariner’s location, and Stu was winch-lowered into the turbulent seas.

Initially, Stu only found a dead sailor, as the huge waves and containers obscured his view.

However, after recovering the body of the dead sailor to RFA Cardigan Bay, which the Wildcat had used to refuel, they re-joined the search after another ship spotted a survivor.

Stu was once again lowered into the swirling maelstrom. He said of the ordeal:

“The waves were huge and the water covered in oil and debris and containers were being thrown around - it was a dangerous place to be.

“I didn’t have time to worry.  I just got on with the task in hand - to save the man in the water. 

“It was very difficult to orientate myself and I was knocked upside down in the water by a wave - which didn’t help a difficult situation.

“Eventually, I managed to work out where I was and where the guy was and swam over to him and tried to reassure him.  He looked in a very bad way.  He’d been in the water and oil for a long time.

“Unfortunately, the wire from the Wildcat was in the wrong place due to the stormy sea which were about 40 feet high. 

“So I had to let go of the guy as the wire tripped me upside down again and automatically inflated my life jacket which limited my freedom.

“The safest thing was to recover me back into the Wildcat.  

“The crew managed to lower the strop back down to the guy who was lifted to safety. I was very relieved that he was ok after all I’d done.”

Stu then dedicated himself to taking care of the survivor in the helicopter, who managed to squeeze his hand in gratitude.

The casualty, who was very sick after spending 7 hours in the sea and oil, was treated on Cardigan Bay before being sent ashore

HMS Monmouth has now returned after a successful deployment, whilst Stu himself takes some well-earned leave.