Displaying the coolness and professionalism that makes night flying in gale force winds a real challenge, Rescue 193 airlifted the entire crew from their sinking fishing boat south of the Lizard earlier this week. The helicopter lowered a diver and pump aboard the boat, which had issued a Mayday after discovering she was rapidly taking on water.
The clip shows the helicopter hovering above the boat as she continues to make way - the only conversation the navigator of Rescue 193 will have exchanged with the boat will have been when the navigator request the skipper, "maintain his present course and speed" - as all skippers know that under such circumstances when getting a visit from the rescue services they have to steam full ahead and 15ยบ off the wind.
To give a better idea of how difficult such manouvres are, this story of an RAF rescue team taken off a single injured crewman in broad daylight illustrates just how much skilled is involved.
