MURMANSK, September 5 (Itar-Tass) —— The crew of the Vice-Admiral Kulakov large anti-sub ship of the Russian North has given assistance to a yachtsman in distress, fleet spokesman Capt. 1st Class Vadim Serga told Itar-Tass.
“The Russian sailors heard the May Day signal from a small yacht in the Celtic Sea. A high-speed boat of the Vice-Admiral Kulakov brought rescuers to the Elixir yacht,” he said.
The yacht captain, an 83-year-old British citizen, was given medical aid. He told the Russian sailors his yacht was pounded by a strong gale more than ten days ago while traveling to the UK from the Azores Islands. The yacht engine and electric equipment were disabled, and the main sail was torn, Serga said.
The Russian sailors brought hot food and drugs to the yacht. Ship technicians repaired the yacht electric equipment and started up its engine. The warship command got in touch with the British Coast Guard to report the situation.
A short time after the British yacht captain was evacuated to a British Coast Guard cutter. The British border guards thanked the Russian sailors for the assistance they gave to the British subject.
The Vice-Admiral Kulakov continued its voyage. It will replenish fuel reserves from the Kola tanker of the Baltic Sea within a day. Then the warship will travel through the North Sea and Northeastern Atlantic towards its Severomorsk base.
The warship went on mission in the Gulf of Aden and off the Horn of Africa in May. It escorted 14 civilian ships under the flags of the Marshall Islands, Malta, Panama, Turkey, Liberia, Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia.
“The ship had aboard Russian marines for providing security of civilian vessels. A Kamov Ka-27 helicopter based on the ship performed dozens of patrolling missions,” Serga said.
In its return to base, the warship visited Lisbon, Portugal, Portsmouth, the UK, and Cork, Ireland.
“The ship has covered over 26,000 nautical miles since the beginning of the voyage on April 6,” Serga said.