Wildcats To The Rescue! Yacht Rescued By Royal Navy

Wildcat helicopters from 825 Naval Air Squadron have rescued a British yachtsman after his boat was damaged by storms in the Bay of Biscay.

An SOS was received from the Takita which had lost its mast as it headed to Britain from the Azores, and the Wildcats were deployed from RFA Argus.

After not initially locating the stricken yacht, the fliers began a systematic search of the area where strong winds and heavy seas may have carried it.

On their third sweep, the airman located the 30ft boat. 

Observer Lt Cdr Chris Grey RN said:

"It was absolutely extraordinary that the yacht was sighted considering the sea state, the size of the vessel, its white hull and that it was in the swell troughs for most of the time".

Takita's broken mast had carried away her radio transmitter, making communications difficult, but she was still seaworthy.

Argus provided the yacht with jerrycans of fuel so it could reach Brest in France for emergency repairs.

Argus, which doubles as a floating medical centre for the military and aviation training vessel, is being used by 825 Squadron to give rookie pilots, observers and ground crew experience of flying and maintaining the Fleet Air Arm’s newest helicopter at sea.