A Sea King helicopter winched a dozen people to safety after a vessel ran aground off the Canvey coast.
The dramatic rescue happened after the captain of the MV Choice, a 73ft converted trawler on its way to Belgium, feared it might capsize.
He alerted Thames Coastguard which requested urgent help from the Sheerness all-weather lifeboat, Southend inshore lifeboat and a Port of London Authority lifeboat, named the Benfleet, from Gravesend.
The passengers - a group of business people on a team-building exercise - were evacuated to the ship's lifeboat during the incident at around 7.45am yesterday (Thursday).
The RAF rescue helicopter, scrambled from RAF Wattisham in Norfolk, arrived at the scene and winched them to safety.
Canvey coastguard Mick Allwood oversaw the operation. He said the incident happened after the captain took the boat too close to the shore.
He said: "He panicked basically. I think they were caught on the hop and he had to make a snap decision. It was quite an awkward operation."
Rescue - the coastguard ferried passengers back to the vessel
Picture: TERENCE BUNCH
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