HMS Diamond rescued four people from a yacht that was taking on water and at risk of sinking.

Last night, the Portsmouth-based Type 45 destroyer answered a Mayday call in the Channel near the Isle of Wight, say the Royal Navy in a news release.

HMS Diamond left Portsmouth yesterday to join up with HMS Queen Elizabeth for operations in northern European waters. Diamond will be part of a powerful Carrier Striker Group of warships, helicopters and F-35 stealth jets on Operation Achillean.

“The civilian yacht, sailing from Beaulieu River in the New Forest towards Honfleur in France, sent out a distress call after it started taking on a significant amount of water. Diamond was in the area after leaving her home port yesterday and coordinated and conducted the rescue operation, working alongside Newhaven and Bembridge RNLI crews and a French Coastguard helicopter.

The warship sent one of her seaboats to the yacht and picked up four of the five personnel on board who were transferred back to Diamond to be examined by medical staff. Those rescued were then taken to hospital via the Newhaven RNLI lifeboat. Three of Diamond’s sailors then went back to the yacht and helped the boat’s skipper to stabilise the vessel and sail it back to the UK.”

Diamond’s Commanding Officer, Commander Peter Barfoot, was quoted as saying:

“The ship’s company were able to evacuate and disembark the crew who needed medical assistance. At the same time some of the ship’s specialists were able to embark and provide essential support to the yacht’s skipper which ultimately prevented the vessel from sinking. In arduous conditions, working without respite, members of my ship’s company saved the lives of five sailors and ensured a vessel was not lost. This is in keeping with the finest traditions of the service and I could not be more proud of my team.”

You can read more here.

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George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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Tarnish
Tarnish
1 year ago

For those in peril on the sea. Well done HMS Diamond, another positive story.

FormerUSAF
FormerUSAF
1 year ago
Reply to  Tarnish

👍

Quentin D63
Quentin D63
1 year ago
Reply to  Tarnish

Yes, bravo HMS Diamond. Great photo too.

SteveP
SteveP
1 year ago

The high standards of professionalism for which the RN is rightly known

Coll
Coll
1 year ago

What a great image.

geoff
geoff
1 year ago
Reply to  Coll

Absolutely and the caption should read “HMS Diamond heading west and responding suddenly to a distress call from the east !😄

Coll
Coll
1 year ago
Reply to  geoff

2018 image. Still grat.

Ian M.
Ian M.
1 year ago
Reply to  geoff

Can Destroyers do a handbrake turn? I wonder if there’s a special automatic fried egg catcher / plate-clamper-downer in the galley?

David Barry
David Barry
1 year ago

Andrew doing what the Andrew do best. Congrats

Monkey spanker
Monkey spanker
1 year ago
Reply to  David Barry

Who or what is andrew? I assume it’s some navy talk. Never heard it before.

ChariotRider
ChariotRider
1 year ago
Reply to  Monkey spanker

The Andrew is navy slang for the Royal Navy. No idea why, but it goes back sometime…

Cheers CR

Monkey spanker
Monkey spanker
1 year ago
Reply to  ChariotRider

Thank you very much for the answer👍🏻

Last edited 1 year ago by Monkey spanker
David Steeper
David Steeper
1 year ago
Reply to  Monkey spanker

It’s up for debate but Google Andrew Miller. The Bootnecks are called Royal because they’re the only part of the Naval Service to swear allegiance to the crown but that’s up for debate too.

Last edited 1 year ago by David Steeper
DH
DH
1 year ago
Reply to  David Barry

Agreed DB, BZ The Diamond ♦️ 👍

Mr Bell
Mr Bell
1 year ago

Thats a first. A story involving a type 45 destroyer where they havent called the ship the £1 billion destroyer or bemoaned its engine failures.

Crabfat
Crabfat
1 year ago
Reply to  Mr Bell

Another first – it was actually reported on BBC Online. BBC rarely report UK defence related news. Makes a change.

Crabfat
Crabfat
1 year ago
Reply to  Crabfat

Unless it’s bad news…

Frank62
Frank62
1 year ago

Great work Diamond.

DJ
DJ
1 year ago

Great job. Some would be amazed at some of the rescues various navies (& others) have done. At least this time it’s not some idiot sailing around the world single handed, venturing into the Southern Ocean (or really any ocean a long way from shore). I don’t really care if you do, but please bare a thought to those that have to rescue you when you set off your satellite beacon in the middle of nowhere, when there is really no reason for you to be there. People have died trying to rescue such fools. Repeat – great job. Well… Read more »