WATCH: Dramatic rescue of Irish yacht crew off coast of Spain

DRAMATIC footage of the rescue of five crew members of an Irish yacht foundering off the Spanish coast has been released. 

A Spanish Maritime Rescue (Salvamento Maritimo) helicopter was scrambled when the Loa Zour sent out a call for help at 8.30pm on Thursday during an Orange Alert for Storm Miguel. The storm had swept past the Atlantic coast of Portugal and Spain and up the English Channel. 

The yacht was about 85 nautical miles northwest of A Coruña when the incident occurred. 

The seas were too rough to attempt a rescue direct from the boat, which was bobbing and swirling dangerously. The crew had to leap into the sea one by one to be rescued by the helicopter. 

Maritime Rescue said winds of 60 knots (120kph) and waves from four to six metres made the task “very complicated”. The four Irish and one Croatian crew members were winched to safety and transferred to Alvedro in Northern Spain in good condition. 

The yacht is thought to be out of Kinsale in Cork. 

https://www.facebook.com/salvamentomaritimo.es/videos/368240703806421/

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Dilip Kuner

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