Navy

Royal Marines Sniper Takes Out Drugs Boat From Chasing Lynx

A Royal Marines sniper has brought a six hour chase across the Caribbean to an end by shooting out the engines of a drug smuggler's speedboat.

The successful bust was sparked after a P3 Maritime Patrol aircraft spotted the 'go-fast' vessel and directed the Royal Fleet Auxilary's Wave Knight, which was on patrol in the area, to intercept.

She responded by bearing down on the speedboat and launching her Lynx helicopter, which with a record-breaking top speed of 400 km/h no boat could hope to outrun.

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A Royal Marines sniper from 815 Naval Air Squadron, sat in the back of the aircraft, first fired warning shots in a bid to stop the traffickers. When these were ignored he fired again, taking out the boat's massive engines and bringing the chase to a end.

Royal Marine Sniper Shoots Out Drugs Boat's Engines

The five stranded smugglers then attempted to ditch their cargo and were observed throwing several bales overboard before a team from the US Coast Guard managed to board the vessel.

In all 350kg of cocaine, with a street value of more than £14m was recovered, a estimated further 650kg sank along with the go-fast boat itself.

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The captured crew have now been handed over to authorities in Miami, Florida.

Following the successful mission Captain Nigel Budd, Wave Knight's Commanding Officer said: "This seizure highlights how effectively the US Coast Guard, we and our allies are working together to disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks that depend on the flow of illicit drugs from South America into the United States, the Caribbean, and Europe."

RFA Wave Knight carries a complement of 72 Royal Fleet Auxilary Crew and 26 Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel to carry out helicopter and weapons systems operations. A fast fleet tanker her role is to support amphibious forces, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare operations and protection of vital sea areas and shipping.