A search and rescue crew from RNAS Culdrose plucked four Dutch sailors from their vessel after it almost capsized during a gale in the channel this morning (Monday).

The crew of 771 Squadron were called by Falmouth coastguard to recover the sailors from their boat Callisto after it got into trouble 60 miles off the coast of Cornwall just before 10am.

The crew, who were all rescued unharmed from the boat, realised they were in trouble when they became caught in a force eight gale as they entered the English channel.

Captain Joost Kleiss said: "We realised we had no steering system and lots of alarms started to go off on the bridge. We were in the middle of a storm, the weather conditions were grave and it was very frightening.”

The four men were airlifted off the vessel by the search and rescue crew led by Lieutenant Tom Sawyer and brought back to Culdrose.

Lieutenant Sawyer said: "We were informed of four people on board the Callisto who needed immediate evacuation as their vessel was in distress 60 miles from Culdrose. The men were not taken to hospital as they did not require any medical attention.”

All four men will now be handed over to the coastguard, which will arrange their repatriation to the Netherlands, and will also tow the Callisto to Salcombe.