Story By: Ana Lacasa, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: CEN

Video Credit: CEN/@ssalvamentogob

This is the daring helicopter rescue of a French sailor who jumps into the sea as his yacht is sinking nearly 150 miles off the coast.

The startling incident occurred 235 kilometres (146 miles) off the coast of A Coruna in the Galicia region in north-eastern Spain.

Local media report the Marine Rescue Service received a phone call warning them a French sailing boat was sinking off the coast of A Coruna.

Pictures Credit: CEN/@ssalvamentogob

The Marine Rescue Service then sent the Sasemar 103 ship along with the Helimer 401 helicopter to carry out the rescue operation, which occurred at the border of the helicopter rescue area.

They found the sailing boat with only one crewman on board wearing a life jacket on the stern of the slowly sinking ship.

In the video, the boat can be seen drifting in the open ocean when the crewman jumps into the water.

A helicopter rescuer can then be seen dropping down towards the ocean before returning to the aircraft with the crewman in a harness.

Reports state the French sailor was taken to the A Coruna Airport but is not known if he was hospitalised.

It is unclear who made the distress call to the authorities.