Race sailor from Shropshire rescued after 'life-threatening' storm

A round-the-world sailor injured and stranded after his boat was damaged in an Atlantic storm has been rescued.

Ian Herbert-Jones, from Oswestry, Shropshire, called for help on Monday after his vessel lost its mast and took in water in 100mph (90 knot) winds.

The sailor, who was hurt as he fought to control the boat, was picked up by a Taiwanese fishing crew on Tuesday.

Golden Globe race official Don McIntyre said it had been a "life-threatening situation".

Mr Herbert-Jones's boat Puffin was hit by extreme weather as he approached South America, leaving him with injuries to his head, back and shoulder.

In a call to rescuers, the sailor described "crazy" conditions in the south Atlantic which had caused the mast to "hang over the side and slam into the boat".

"He was a little bit desperate, obviously very anxious, the boat was in real trouble because of the extreme winds. It was gusting heavily so the boat was on its side," Mr McIntyre told BBC Radio Shropshire.

The seaman was picked up by the crew of the Zi Da Wang after a co-ordinated effort between the Taiwanese government, British coastguards and an Argentine rescue centre.

He is now heading to Cape Town, but has to decide whether to scuttle his boat.

"Certainly the boat is now lost," Mc McIntyre said. "It's about 1,200 miles off the coast of Brazil, there'll be more and more storms but at the moment it's still afloat... you wouldn't want someone else to come and hit it."

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