A Royal Navy Lynx from Type 22 frigate HMS Cumberland on hurricane standby in the Carribbean stopped a rigid inflatable suspected of smuggling. The incident took place about 100 miles off Nicaragua.

The boat's occupants tried to outrun the Lynx ( ) and ignored warning fire across their bows from the helicopter's machine gun. They were were stopped by sniper rifle fire from the helicopter into the boat's engine.

The boat was found to be carrying two tons of cocaine with a street value estimated at £200 million.

Video

I bet the dead give away was the white streak that followed the boat.

Good job guys!

How would the boys take out the engine with sniper fire? Do they have some sort of gyro equiped rifle or is it just a normal weapon?

No not really. Just someone who can shoot...

US Coast Guard Mako

Interesing. He's using a red-dot sight on the MG. Looks line a 1X EOTech.

Mmm... Speedboat tries to outrun a Lynx... and an armed one at that. Maybe the boys were using too much of there own product...

Or the Brown streak following the occupants after receiving fire..........
Hats off and a Big Yahoooo to the Helicopter crew.

Impressive shooting!

thats good news but also bad news.

the poor traffickers are probably going to get busted up and loose their jobs instead of the drug lord.

its a sad world

Interesting precedent of legal jurisdiction?

Were they [the crooks] in International waters?

If a ricochet from shooting up the engines killed a runner, would that be nearly manslaughter.

Don’t get me wrong…..shoot all of them, but this is a Coast Guard or Customs job, not the navies.

Good job thou that this load will never be sold on the streets [will just push the price up and more crime - Catch 22].

Thanks for the reply BigMike. Was that a 50 cal the sniper was using?? I know how hard it is just filming out of a machine let alone precision shooting! I might try that on the pigs at the farm - just kidding......

Somehow I can't see the UN security council or any local governments taking a particularly dim view of the Royal Navy's actions, regardless of what waters it was in so long as the boats "crew" get handed over for trial in an appropriate court, and I'm sure they will be.

Damned good bit of work all concerned, a credit to the Navy and the UK. (Well organised photographic section on the ship too!)

G

The crewman by the Lynx in the last picture is holding a British made Accuracy International AW50 which is 50 cal. The Coast Guard Rifle is a 50 cal as well but I'm not sure what type.
The machine-gun is to "wake them up" and the 50 cal to disable the engines. Very effective.

Well done to the RN crew.


Farmpilot, if you want to shot pigs out of your helicopter there's plenty of Kiwi's and Aussie's on this site who will give you advice!

BigMike I seem to remember some law in South Africa about the machine becoming a gun ship if you shoot out of it...... Could be wrong. I think I'll stick to shooting targets! Would love to have a go with the 50 though!

Just occurred to me.

If Hornblower had had a helicopter on board.......

G

The Mako employs a Robar RC50 50cal.

I/C

What is "Mako"?

The MH-68A Mako is an Agusta A-109 Power used by the USCG for precisiely this type of operation amongst others. They operate from USCG cutters.

On this picture it' clearly visible that it's a Accuracy in .50 BMG with an EoTech sight without magnification.

I don't want to belittle the effort made by the Royal Navy to bust "these" guys and seize the dope. Although I'd say the fleet of colombian submarines partaking in the drug trade sailed off and inked the deal.