Rescue in the Atlantic Ocean: UK’s Royal Air Force Helps Extricate Sailor From Stricken Yacht

The UK’s Royal Air Force helped rescue a sailor after his boat was stricken and cast adrift in stormy seas far from land. The boat lost its mast in rough waters over the weekend in the Atlantic Ocean, some 700 nautical miles from shore. The RAF headed out on Oct. 15 to find the sailor.

Rescue crews found the boat midway between the UK and Greenland. The RAF crews dropped an inflatable life raft and survival gear, by parachute.

The sailor retrieved the rescue pack, and remained with his stricken yacht overnight while merchant ships diverted 120 miles to reach him. The sailor was eventually brought to safety when the ships arrived alongside on Sunday morning.