The chase ended in the speedboat being abandoned

When the crew abandoned it, 1000 kgs of cocaine was recovered with an estimated value of £40m.

The pursuing helicopter was from HMS Coventry, which is on anti-narcotics duties in the Caribbean.

The dramatic chase started on Monday evening, when HMS Coventry's Lynx helicopter spotted a 50ft speedboat known as a "go-fast", often used for smuggling, heading for Mexico.

Its crew were refuelling the three outboard motors from a stash of barrels on the deck.

The Lynx repeatedly flew past or "buzzed" the boat at very close range, forcing it to turn in towards the islands off Belize.

Bond-style chase

The three-hour chase, which a Ministry of Defence spokesman conceded had "a bit of James Bond about it", went on through the mangrove swamps and cays, until the speedboat was beached and abandoned.

Lieutenant Nigel Cunningham was commanding the Lynx

HMS Coventry's Captain, Philip Jones, said he only authorised buzzing once it was clear the smugglers posed no threat to the aircraft.

He said: "We were taking photographs of the boat and it was quite clear they didn't want to be recognised possibly for protection against subsequent court appearances.

"There was clearly no evidence of weapons being used so I was content to have the helicopter stay close to the boat to be able to shadow him," he said.

Commanding the Lynx throughout was Lieutenant Nigel Cunningham, whose naval career began during the Falklands War as a chef on the aircraft carrier Invincible.

Using its landing lights, his helicopter then guided Belize police to the speedboat, where they seized its huge cargo of cocaine.