Harrowing coastguard rescue captured for Channel 5's Coastguard: Search & Rescue SOS ahead of new episode

Channel 5 will broadcast the first episode of the new third series of Coastguard: Search & Rescue SOS at 9 p.m. tomorrow, offering viewers a close-up look at a dramatic rescue attempt off the Sussex coast. The clip, described by producers as one of the most daring in recent memory, centers on a coastguard helicopter operation to reach a skipper whose yacht was battered by powerful waves near Newhaven, East Sussex, during a period of strong winds and rough tides along the south coast.

With the yacht pushed toward the harbour wall and waves breaking over the cockpit, lifeboats could not reach the man in time. Coastguard Helicopter Rescue 163, based at Lydd in Kent, was scrambled to fly in and assess the situation from above before making a closer approach. The footage, shared exclusively with the Daily Mail, shows the crew preparing for a high-stakes winch operation as sea conditions threaten to overwhelm the vessel.

During the clip, a crew member can be heard saying, 'We need to give this guy some help, he's getting hammered. We're literally the only people who can get him.' As a huge wave hits the yacht and the boat rolls, another voice warns, 'Monitor for big waves, because he's going to go any second.' The moment culminates with the winch paramedic moving toward the skipper and the team deciding to close in despite the danger; the full episode later portrays the man being winched to safety along with the winch paramedic.

Injuries were reported for the skipper, who sustained multiple broken bones and was admitted to Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton before being discharged. The channel notes emphasize the risks and adrenaline involved in real-life maritime rescues, underscoring the work of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) beyond the dramatic action captured on screen.

The documentary series focuses on the MCA's search and rescue missions and investigative work, including a coastguard fixed-wing surveillance flight that uses high-tech cameras to probe potential sources of marine pollution. A separate segment in the same episode documents a rescue of a passenger on a commercial ferry in the Irish Sea, where an 86-year-old traveler required urgent medical attention; a coastguard helicopter is dispatched to meet the vessel and attempt a life-saving winch from the deck.

Produced with access to air operations and investigative work, Coastguard: Search & Rescue SOS provides audiences with a window into the agency's complex operations, from on-scene rescues to forensic inquiries tied to fatal criminal investigations. The program airs on Channel 5 at 9 p.m. tomorrow, continuing a series that has followed the agency's missions along the UK coastline.