A SEA captain has described leading a rescue in the South China Sea in which 19 Thai sailors, whose ship sank in heavy seas, were plucked to safety.

Captain Glenn Wostenholme, of Wallsend, North Tyneside, recorded a dramatic log as he and his crew raced to the aid of their fellow mariners.

He and his crew were 15 days into the first voyage of the brand new UK-flagged merchant vessel Maersk Kendal when he picked up a distress call from Pailin Maritime, a small Thai cargo ship carrying logs from the Solomon Islands to Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam.

Although more than 200 miles away Cpt Wostenholme altered course and raced at full speed becoming the first ship to arrive at the scene. He began a systematic search of the area, calculating the likely drift rate and direction of any survivors and their life rafts.

As it neared twilight, after searching for more than four hours, lookouts spotted a couple of empty lifejackets.

By now a second British ship, the Rio Imperial managed by Zodiac Maritime of London had arrived at the scene to help.

Captain Wostenholme said: "The whole crew was amazing in their preparedness and willingness to get involved.

"Everything they did was carried out professionally and as a team. It was the longest day - and perhaps their finest thus far - in their lives."

In his log, Cpt Wostenholme recorded sighting "many, many large logs in the water" and then a body "face down, limbs limp, and no signs of life".

Shortly before twilight he spotted a small rocket and launched a boat. Over the next hour and a half 19 sailors had been pulled to safety "in the most difficult of conditions".

Captain Wostenholme described how two survivors without a life-raft - one of them the sunk vessel's Chief Officer - had managed to survive their long wait for rescue.

He said: "While the Chief Officer and his companion were afloat with only life jackets, amazingly, one smoke float, one rocket, three life buoys and three survival food packs drifted within reach of them.

"Without them, I have little doubt they would not have been rescued.

"The Chief Officer's younger brother was one of the missing.

"Our hearts were torn as he lamented on how he could explain the loss to his mother. He maintained his dignity throughout the ordeal."

Survivors said they had been concerned about the condition of the 34-year-old cargo ship before setting sail, even going to the extent of sending a diver down to inspect the ship's hull.

The ship was abandoned after the hull cracked.

A spokesman for the Chamber of Shipping said: "The courage and professionalism of the multinational crews of the Maersk Kendal and the Rio Imperial in coordinating and conducting the search and rescue meant that 19 lives were saved. International teamwork at its best."

The following is Capt Glennholme's official log of the incident:

17:20 Sighted many, many large logs in the water, and advised Rio Imperial to head North East.

17:25 Body passed down our port side, face down, limbs limp, and no signs of life. I cannot stop, there may be people we can help further ahead. Advised, Rio Imperial to parallel our course one to one and a half miles distance on our port side.

17:30 Orange smoke and a small rocket sighted on the starboard bow, less than one mile. This was it. Time now to test the mettle of our rescue boat team. I did not take the decision lightly to launch, but made it quickly, it was nearing twilight.

17:57 Boat launched, into the lee made by our ship.

18:03 Two survivors hauled onto rescue boat. Then, as she headed back to us, the rescue boat broke down. So now we had to rescue the rescue boat. No problem. Confidence building as exhilaration takes hold. Got them all back safely within 20 minutes.

18:52 Yes! Rio Imperial reports sighting of life raft three miles North Eeast of us. She proceeds with rescue. We now know from our two survivors that two life rafts launched and 24 people made up the crew of Pailin. Therefore we continue North East in the hope of finishing the search before dark. Rio Imperial reports thirteen souls rescued from the raft she sighted.

19:03 Bingo! Life raft sighted on our port bow one mile away. We head towards it immediately to rescue, this time by putting the ship alongside it. Ship to windward and drift down onto the raft. Darkness has fallen, but the raft has a light. Then we are hit by a strong squall. Bad timing we think - however, by 19:36, four survivors are successfully recovered via our pilot combination ladder. The raft is cut loose and allowed to drift away.