ITF is campaigning to protect seafarers' right to shore leave as essential to their rights as workers, and to minimise the effects of fatigue through work at sea and thus ensure maritime safety.

Ray Carson of the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Holyhead, who described the rescue as ‘outstanding work given the conditions’, said: ‘The copter crew definitely saved the life of two men.’

Eventually, they will work with the Navy's traditionally piloted Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft to patrol the seas and replace the P-3s that has served the service for four decades.