British Army sailors rescue exhausted barn owl at sea

During the 50th Anniversary RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race, a British Army sailing crew rescued an exhausted barn owl approximately 70 nautical miles from shore. The bird, which the crew nicknamed ‘Little Regina’, boarded the vessel Fujitsu British Soldier after several failed attempts to land.

The rescue required coordination between the military sailors and several wildlife agencies, including the Barn Owl Trust and Marine and Wildlife Rescue. The Caister Independent Lifeboat eventually collected the bird for transfer to a wildlife center while the crew continued their 1,805-nautical-mile race toward Cowes.