Barn Owl Rescued by British Army Sailors 70 Nautical Miles Off Norfolk Coast

A barn owl, later named “Little Reg” (short for regiment), was found exhausted and repeatedly falling into the sea 70 nautical miles east of Newcastle while a British Army sailing crew competed in the 50th-anniversary Round Britain and Ireland Race. After the bird collapsed on deck, the crew placed it in a box, kept it warm, and coordinated with the Barn Owl Trust, Marine and Wildlife Rescue, and the Caister Independent Lifeboat. The lifeboat met the vessel off the Norfolk coast and transferred the owl to the RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre in King’s Lynn for veterinary care.

Barn owl rescued 70 miles out at Norfolk sea after collapsing on soldiers’ boat People MagazineBBC NewsBritish Army sailors rescue Barn Owl 70 miles offshore during RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race

The race is a non-stop 1,805-nautical-mile offshore competition that tests crews against some of the United Kingdom’s toughest maritime conditions. Barn owls (Tyto alba) are protected wildlife that normally inhabit grasslands and open countryside; they are not expected to be found far offshore.

People Magazine

• Earlier in August – The Fujitsu British Soldier, a British Army Offshore Racing Team boat, set out on the race.

British Army sailors rescue Barn Owl 70 miles offshore during RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race

• August 20 – The owl’s rescue took place 70 nautical miles offshore, as reported by Reuters.

Barn owl rescued 70 miles out at Norfolk sea after collapsing on soldiers’ boat

• August 21 – The East Winch Wildlife Centre posted an update on Facebook confirming the owl’s arrival and condition.

People Magazine

• Distance of rescue: 70 nautical miles from shore.

British Army sailors rescue Barn Owl 70 miles offshore during RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race

• Race length: 1,805 nautical miles non-stop circumnavigation of Britain and Ireland.

British Army sailors rescue Barn Owl 70 miles offshore during RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race

James Stannard, conservation officer for the Barn Owl Trust, said the owl likely roosted on a fishing vessel that later drifted offshore, describing the rescue as “nothing short of a miracle.”

Barn owl rescued 70 miles out at Norfolk sea after collapsing on soldiers’ boat

Paul Garrod, chairman and crew member of the Caister lifeboat, called the callout “a little bit different” but emphasized the service’s willingness to assist all living creatures.

BBC News

Dan Goldsmith of Marine and Wildlife Rescue warned that the owl would be dehydrated, exhausted and underweight, stressing the urgency of veterinary assessment.

Barn owl rescued 70 miles out at Norfolk sea after collapsing on soldiers’ boat

• “We thought we'd lost her, but she kept fighting her way back up and to the boat,” — Sergeant Mark Petherbridge, 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment

British Army sailors rescue Barn Owl 70 miles offshore during RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race

The rescue shows how military personnel, wildlife organisations and volunteer lifeboat services can quickly collaborate to protect a protected species under extreme conditions, underscoring the responsibility of maritime participants to aid wildlife.

Barn owl rescued 70 miles out at Norfolk sea after collapsing on soldiers’ boat