An elderly man aboard a 41-foot sailboat en route from Bermuda injured in a fall was rescued from the Atlantic during severe weather early Saturday by a Navy helicopter and taken to a ship that was conducting operations nearby.

The man, Joe Wilson of Atlantic City, N.J., was in stable condition and will remain aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS Trenton until he can be airlifted off, the Navy said in a news release.

A larger helicopter was sent from Norfolk about 9 a.m. Saturday to transport Wilson to shore but had to turn back because of high winds and rough seas, the Navy said.

The Norfolk-based Trenton dispatched a helicopter about 1 a.m. and a rescue swimmer was lowered into the water to rescue Wilson, Lt. Mike Kafka said. Winds were 32 knots and seas were eight to ten feet high as the man in his 80s was lowered into the water to be pulled to safety, the Navy spokesman said.

A second man stayed aboard the boat, which was about 250 miles southeast of Atlantic City en route from Bermuda.