A couple who were terrified during a storm while sailing off the Essex coast have hailed the heroism of Marine Unit officers for their dramatic rescue.

Roy Harris and his partner Caroline Wilson were returning to the River Crouch from Kent on Sunday, August 25, when they were caught in an unexpected storm. Their yacht, the Samphire, began taking on water and suffered a torn jib sheet (sail rope), prompting Mr Harris to send out a PAN-PAN messagea signal that their boat was in serious troubleto nearby vessels and emergency services.

Sergeant Alex Southgate, PC John Perry, and Special Constable Scott Mccabe, who were conducting Operation Wave-Breaker patrols aboard the police rib Sentinel, responded to the distress call. In coordination with the Dover Coastguard Operations Centre, they found the 40ft yacht near Gunfleet Sands offshore wind farm, four miles from Clacton.

Mr Harris recounted the moment of rescue: "When Alex leapt on to the boat, touched my arm and said 'You're safe now' it was such a comfort. I had been scared for my life. The officers should be recognised for their bravery they don't just nick criminals, they save people's lives."

He also noted that he would not have embarked from the Isle of Sheppey earlier that day had the storm been predicted.

"We sailed for six to seven hours in good conditions but then the water started whipping up and, when we turned into the Crouch, the wind caught the tender (dinghy) on the front of Samphire, the jib sheet broke, the ropes got tangled and water started pouring through the hatch."

"I became exhausted very quickly and sent a PAN-PAN. I didn't want to call for assistance because the airwaves were busy but I had no choice. The Essex Police Marine Unit turned up out of the blue I wasn't expecting them at all. I can't express my gratitude and appreciation enough. I feel like my life has been saved."

Alex says: "It was a very windy day and large waves were crashing over Samphire, making our approach particularly dangerous, but PC Perry's skill and judgement at the helm enabled him to get Sentinel safely alongside."

"He timed everything perfectly with the wave movement and the rising and falling of the yacht to allow me to safely cross over and board the yacht. Having done this, I was able to check the crew and ascertain that the skipper was suffering from severe sea sickness and was in a state of shock. Once we'd checked everything over, I was able to take control of the yacht and steer it to the safety of Brightlingsea Harbour.

"During all of this, SC Mccabe kept us in touch with Dover and our own control centre, which was vital. Shortly after I'd boarded Samphire, the Burnham-on-Crouch lifeboat and the Gunfleet Sands Windfarm crew transfer vessel attended the scene. It's great to know everyone's got each other's back at sea."

Due to the weather conditions and the yacht's damaged sail, the journey took more than two hours in rough seas it would usually take 45 minutes in normal conditions.

Alex says: "The Essex Police Marine Unit's top priority is to keep members of our marine communities safe on land and water and a key part of our role is search and rescue. Thankfully, we were out on Operation Wave-Breaker patrols in the area that day and were able to locate Mr Harris and his partner in time."