Sailor in Spain saved by 999 call

A worried wife's 999 call in England led to the rescue of a sailor who spent four days in a life raft off Spain.

Jayesh Patel, from Finchley, north London, was travelling from Palma, Majorca, to Tarragona, Spain, with a friend when a wave sank their yacht.

His wife Louise dialled 999 from their London home as she had not heard from him for 24 hours. A major air search was launched and the two were found.

They are said to be well despite being adrift for four days and three nights.

Businessman Mr Patel, 43, was sailing with a Belgian friend on a motor cruiser named Umbalika when it was hit by a wave. The yacht sank within two minutes.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said coastguards had no idea the sailors were in distress until Mrs Patel dialled 999 on 13 November.

No food

The call was picked up by the Thames Coastguard which alerted the International Coastguard Liaison Station at Falmouth, Cornwall.

Coastguards in Madrid then launched an air sea search and the men were picked up two days later. He returned home on Sunday following hospital checks.

Mr Patel said: "It was a very, very frightening experience. There were 40 to 50 mile an hour winds, waves of two to three metres."

He added: "We had no food. The boat went down so fast - we didn't have time to grab anything. We made a mayday call but for some reason it didn't get through.

When I got home I got a hug - and a kick Jayesh Patel

"When I saw the rescue boat I just died with relief."

Mr Patel said: "I owe my life to my wife's alertness and to the coastguards in Britain and Spain."

He added: "When I got home I got a hug - and a kick. There are lessons to be learned but it hasn't put me off sailing."

Mr Patel said the incident highlighted the value of the 999 system. "The sea has no borders," he said.

A MCA spokeswoman said: "The two men were experienced sailors and the woman provided a lot of information about them, their boat and their plans."

She added: "One of the lessons is that if you have any concerns about anyone anywhere at sea then tell the authorities and something can be done, no matter where you are."