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'Jetman' rescued after ditching into the sea

The pilot known as the "Jetman" has been rescued from the sea after coming up short in his attempt to fly between two continents.

Yves Rossy was hoping to become the first person to make an intercontinental flight with a jet pack by flying across waters from Morocco to Spain.

The Swiss airline pilot leapt into the sky from an aircraft flying at 6,500ft.

With the wing he invented strapped to his back, Rossy's attempt started well with cameras following him as he soared through the air.

But he disappeared from view and it became unclear whether he was continuing his record bid deep in cloud or if he had been forced to bail out.

Some 14 minutes into what should have been a 15-minute flight, cameras showed Rossy's wing lying face down in the Atlantic Ocean.

As the rescue helicopter flew in it was unclear if the daredevil had survived.

Then, a wave came from the team signalling he was alive and well.

Stuart Sterzel, CEO of sponsor Webtel Mobi, said: "He is fine and as a standard operating procedure, he is on his way to a hospital in the south of Spain."

Mr Sterzel said Rossy will speak in a press conference later tonight at 5.45pm.

Rossy has flown across the English channel between Calais and Dover but this was his first attempt at an intercontinental flight.

His team has said that he will give it another go.

When flying, Rossy looks like a comic-book hero with the contraption propelling him at a speed of more than 180mph.