A SAILOR sailed blindly towards the busiest shipping channel in the world because he was working below deck.
The Coastguard helicopter from Portland was scrambled to the boat, Erma, sailing south east of Portland Bill.
The yacht Pyxis called Portland Coastguard on Tuesday morning to say it had had to alter course in the middle of the Channel after Erma had not responded to radio calls and had been on a collision course with them.
Coastguards said they then tried to hail the yacht, but got no response so the helicopter was sent to investigate.
The helicopter used its sirens and the lone sailor finally emerged on deck.
The sailor told the helicopter crew he was on route from Portland to the Azores and had been below doing work on the boat.
He was given advice by coastguard officers.
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