When a pair of sailors sent out a distress call after their rudder broke, they never expected a giant wooden ship to come to their rescue. The two men on the sailboat Corto were about 50 nautical miles off the coast of northern France when they found themselves stranded and drifting in the water.
To the crew's surprise, the Götheborg, a full-size replica of the 18th-century ship built using the tools, building methods, and materials of that time, responded to their distress call.
"The arrival of the Götheborg on the scene was rapid and surprising, as we did not expect to see a merchant ship from the East India Company of the XVIII century. This moment was very strange, and we wondered if we were dreaming. Where were we? What time period was it," David Moeneclaey, skipper of the sailboat Corto, told the Swedish East India Company, which owns the Götheborg.
The crew of the Götheborg offered to tow them to a port in Paimpol, France. After being towed through the water behind the 788-ton wooden ship for about a day, they approached the coast and radioed for a smaller boat to help bring them to shore.
The crew of the Götheborg waited until the rescue vessel arrived and ensured that Moeneclaey and his friend, Simon were safe. A few days later, the sailors got in touch with the crew of the Götheborg, thanked them for the help, and shared several photos posted on Instagram.
"It's a great story, and we are very proud that we were able to help!"