Horsham couple rescued in air-sea drama

The Rev Richard Boeke - former minister at Horsham Unitarian Church - and his wife Johanna were aboard the liner Queen Mary 11 en route to New York from Southampton when the accident happened off the Irish coast.

Mr Boeke, who is in his 80s, suffered head and leg injuries and was strapped to a stretcher before being airlifted with his wife - who is also a former church minister - to University Hospital in the southern Ireland coastal city of Cork.

The emergency operation began when Irish coastguards were alerted. Rescuers swung into action despite poor weather and fading light. Rescue Helicopter 117 took off from the port of Waterford, its route to the ship coordinated by a sub-station at Valentia Island off County Kerry.

It was late afternoon when the rescue flight homed in on the liner and the skilled coastguard team, with Mr Boeke strapped onto a stretcher, began the difficult manoeuvre to winch the elderly couple up to the hovering helicopter.

Despite the poor conditions the helicopter crew carried out the airlift without mishap, and the two ministers were flown to hospital in Cork.

Mr Boeke, who is now said to be making a steady recovery, had been travelling to New York with his wife before planning to go to live near their children in Virginia.

A shocked Mr Patrick Wynne-Jones, current chairman of Horsham Unitarian Church, said: “This was very distressing news about a Minister of our Church and his wife, Richard and Jope, who we had hoped would have a pleasant and peaceful return to their family.

“The thoughts and prayers of all our congregation are with them.”