A SAILOR who got caught in a storm off the coast has thanked emergency services for saving his life.
Roy Harris and his partner Caroline Wilson were sailing on their 40ft back to the River Crouch in Burnham from Kent when a storm whipped up unexpectedly.
Mr Harris said he sailed for around six hours in good conditions before the water started 'whipping up', ropes got tangled and water started pouring in through the hatch.
He said: “I didn’t want to call for assistance because the airwaves were busy but I had no choice.
“The Essex Police Marine Unit turned up out of the blue – I wasn’t expecting them at all.
“I can’t express my gratitude and appreciation enough. I feel like my life has been saved.”
Sergeant Alex Southgate, PC John Perry and Special Constable Scott McCabe were on Operation Wave-Breaker patrols when they picked up the distress call.
Working with the Dover Coastguard Operations Centre, they located the 40ft yacht near Gunfleet Sands offshore wind farm, four miles off Clacton.
Mr Harris said: “When Alex leapt onto the boat, touched my arm and said ‘you’re safe now’ it was such a comfort. I had been scared for my life.
“The officers should be recognised for their bravery – they don’t just nick criminals, they save people’s lives.”
He said Sunday’s storm had not been forecast because, otherwise, he would not have set sail from the Isle of Sheppey earlier that day.
Sergeant Alex Southgate said: “It was a very windy day and large waves were crashing over Samphire, making our approach particularly dangerous, but PC Perry’s skill and judgement at the helm enabled him to get Sentinel safely alongside.
“Having done this, I was able to check the crew and ascertain that the skipper was suffering from severe sea sickness and was in a state of shock.
"Once we’d checked everything over, I was able to take control of the yacht and steer it to the safety of Brightlingsea Harbour.
“During all of this, SC McCabe kept us in touch with Dover and our own control centre, which was vital."
The Burnham lifeboat and Gunfleet Sands Windfarm crew transfer team also attended the scene.
Sgt Southgate added: "It’s great to know everyone’s got each other’s back at sea.”
Due to the weather conditions and the yacht’s damaged sail, the journey took more than two hours in rough seas – it would usually take 45 minutes in normal conditions.
He continued: “The Essex Police Marine Unit’s top priority is to keep members of our marine communities safe on land and water and a key part of our role is search and rescue.
“Thankfully, we were out on Operation Wave-Breaker patrols in the area that day and were able to locate Mr Harris and his partner in time.”
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