A Royal Marine sniper stopped drug smugglers with a single shot while flying backwards in a helicopter during a £35million bust.
The bullet took out the engine of a boat, loaded with more than 1.5 tonnes of heroin, crystal methamphetamine and hashish while it was speeding across the Gulf of Oman.
The Ministry of Defence said the mission was one of the most dramatic counter-drug intercepts the Royal Navy has ever been involved with in the Middle East.
The operation was launched from HMS Lancaster, her crew picked up three suspicious boats travelling at speed.
The crew secretly shadowed the boats while relaying key information to the warship.
HMS Lancaster subsequently launched a mini-helicopter drone to continue monitoring the vessels.
When the helicopter appeared, the crews immediately started to hurl cargo into the water to try and speed up and escape.
Two of the boats were abandoned but the third continued persisted.
A Royal Marine sniper stopped drug smugglers with a single shot while flying backwards in a helicopter during a £35million bust (file image)
The Ministry of Defence said the mission was one of the most dramatic counter-drug intercepts the Royal Navy has ever been involved with in the Middle East (file image)
A 0.50 calibre bullet was then fired from an anti-materiel rifle from the side door of the Wildcat helicopter, neutralising the boat.
Ex-Special Forces commando Al Carns, the armed forces minister, said: ‘This was a well planned operation culminating in a surgical shot by a Royal Marines sniper disabling the engine of a vessel traveling at 40 knots.
‘That’s excellence at work.’
The MoD said the mission, launched from HMS Lancaster, was the first time UK snipers have been used to stop smugglers in the region.
Commander Sam Stephens, the captain of HMS Lancaster said: ‘I’m hugely proud of the team’s professionalism, patience, and skill throughout what was a protracted chase.’
Wildcat pilot Lt Guy Warry added: ‘Firing on drug running skiffs whilst flying backwards to provide a stable platform for the snipers was definitely a career highlight.’
