Brave Brit Who Rescued Passengers from Yacht Sinking 'Like the Titanic' After Pirate Attack Shares, 'I Thought I’d Die'

A HEROIC Brit sailor saved all hands as a ship sank “Titanic-style” after it was rammed by pirates in the Caribbean.

Christian Powys-Keck, 33, dashed below deck to alert passengers and crew as the holed yacht filled with water off the coast of .

Christian Powys-Keck, 33, managed to get everyone to safetyCredit: The Sun Christian is pictured shirtless as he reaches out a hand to help those still on boardCredit: The Sun

Christian got everyone to safety and survived being sucked down with the vessel after it up-ended and disappeared beneath the waves.

The bare-chested Brit and desperate survivors were left clinging to a holed life raft and debris for 20 minutes in shark-infested waters.

But all were rescued and were safe on land in Colombia last night as their hero was dubbed “Fletcher Christian” – after the crew’s saviour from Mutiny on the Bounty.

Christian told The Sun how his ordeal felt like a real life re-run of the famous sinking scene from the movie Titanic.

In the 1997 blockbuster, survivors Jack and Rose, played by Leonardo Di Caprio and , are left clinging to the stern of the giant liner as it plunges towards the ocean floor.

Christian, from Radlett, Herts, told us: “The ship went down nose first like the Titanic and myself and a Swiss guy called Tim found ourselves clinging to the stern.

“We were riding it down just like Jack and Rose in the movie and that scene was actually in my head as I tried to work out when to let go.

“There was a lot of suction as we were both pulled under and I was left having to fight my way back to the surface.

“I wasn’t just terrified – I was absolutely s****ing it! I thought I was going to die.

“I swam and swam to get back to the surface while still holding my wallet and phone and it was such a relief to make it.

“We’re so lucky to have survived – one girl on board got dragged down by a rope and another was hit by the yacht as it went down.”

Christian called home to let his older brother Leycester know he was safe after the drama.

Leycester told The Sun: “He was very shaken up. He told me: ‘It felt like a scene from a film – but it f***ing wasn’t!’

“He’s lived up to his name like Fletcher Christian – the hero played by Marlon Brando in Mutiny on the Bounty.

“He saved everyone.”

Christian said he surfaced to find spluttering survivors clinging to a floating surfboard and other debrisCredit: The Sun Desperate survivors were left clinging to a holed life raft and debris for 45 minutesCredit: The Sun

Christian was among 16 trippers and four crew on a spectacular five-day New Year sailing trip from Panama to the Colombian port of Cartagena.

The group were first transferred by speedboat from Panama City to the stunning San Blas islands off the Panamanian coast for partying and snorkelling.

They then set sail for Colombia aboard The Alessandra, a stunning double-masted yacht which appeared in the 1994 movie, Legends of the Fall.

Disaster struck in darkness at 4.40am on January 3 off the coast of Colombia when the steel-hulled yacht was struck in what appeared to be an aborted pirate raid.

Movie set builder Christian was woken in his bunk by a loud crash and was told by the captain after dashing on deck that “they’d been rammed by a pirate sailing boat”.

Christian tried in vain to help pump water surging into the damaged hull before the order was given to abandon ship as the captain made a distress call.

The hero Brit risked his life to run below deck twice to alert fellow passengers as the ship began to sink.

Christian was among 20 trippers on a spectacular five-day New Year sailing tripCredit: The Sun All were rescued and were safe on land in Colombia last night as their hero was dubbed “Fletcher Christian”Credit: The Sun

Christian’s brother described how he “went into action” by shouting at everyone in the remaining bunks to get up as water washed over his feet on deck.

His brother, a security firm boss, told The Sun: “It became clear the boat was sinking and his actions saved everyone on board – I’m so proud of him.

“Christian went down to shout at everyone, waking them and warning them to get off the ship.

“By the time Christian was climbing the ladder to get out he was waist deep in water and the ship was beginning to lean and lurch.”

“Christian said it was like a scene from the Titanic where the ship started to upend and people were hanging on to things.

Passengers and crew were left floundering in the darkness in waters stalked by sea predators including bull sharks, reef sharks, tiger sharks and great whites.

Thomas said: “He’d managed to get to his cabin to get his bag and was the only one who saved his passport, wallet, phone and a debit card.

“They were all in the water for 45 minutes or so before they were all rescued and are all very lucky to be alive.”

The trippers – wearing night clothes and shorts and with no shoes or belongings – were taken to the Cartagena Coast Guard Station for first aid checks but none were seriously hurt.

Another Brit was aboard the ship, alongside six German citizens, one Belgian, three Colombians, four French, one Italian, two Swiss, and one Turkish.

Survivors said the vessel they were struck by did not stop and continued on its course without stopping to offer help.

Leisure craft have been hit by a spate of attacks in which gangs ram and board ships then take passengers hostage.

Christian found himself marooned in Colombia yesterday with no shoes and all his belongings in a carrier bag on board a bus to the Colombian coastal city of Santa Marta.

He told The Sun: “I’m still a bit shocked but have at least managed to buy some shoes and clothes and get on a bus out of here with some of the other survivors.

“It was a very frightening experience but at least everyone survived.”

Tour operator Blue Sailing said Alessandra was involved in a “hit-and-run” collision with a barge barge travelling without lights.

A spokeswoman said: “Coast Guard units were alerted immediately and arrived within approximately 20 minutes of the crew and passengers abandoning the vessel.

“The fact that no passenger was injured or lost their life speaks volumes about the competence of the captain and crew.”

A spokesman for the coastguard – who released video of the rescue – said: “This operation underscores the importance of the naval forces’ presence to protect maritime security in the Colombian region.”

The commander of the coast station in Cartagena said: ‘This operation underscores the importance of the naval forces’Credit: The Sun