HMS York stands by drifting 30ft yacht in worsening conditions

A Royal Navy warship and RNLI lifeboat assisted a yacht in trouble off South Devon on Monday.

The type 42 destroyer HMS York was on exercise off the coast of South Devon, when Portland Coastguard received a weak signal from the 30ft yacht Mary Flora, just before her engine failed and her sails shredded.

The sloop, which had a crew of four, was around 10 miles south east of the destroyer in worsening sea conditions as darkness fell on Monday evening.

HMS York located the yacht and stood by while the yacht’s crew waited for the lifeboat. By 11.45pm the yacht and her crew were safely ashore in Brixham.

HMS York is due to return to Portsmouth on Thursday.

Image: Dan Marsh