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 | | Sunday, 23 September, 2001, 13:51 GMT 14:51 UK Couple rescued after sea drama  The couple were taken to Withybush Hospital A married couple en route to the Republic of Ireland had to be airlifted to safety after their yacht sprang a leak and sank in the Irish Sea. The yacht, believed to have been their home for the last six years, foundered 10 miles off the Pembrokeshire coast on Saturday night. The pair, both in their early 50s, were forced to abandon ship and take to a life raft until they were taken aboard a passing merchant vessel.
A spokesman for Milford Haven coastguard said the couple had been up on deck and had not realised water was "pouring in" until the man went down below at about 2300 BST on Sunday. He said: "They were on their way to Kilmore Quay in south east Ireland to meet some friends, also sailing around Ireland, and they were just happily going along in the night when the engine and power went. "The man went down into the cabin and said that, as he stepped off the step at the end, in the dark, he was up to his waist in water." The spokesman said that the couple did not know where the water was coming in from. "They did all the right things. They are well experienced sailors and the boat was an extremely good boat and well kitted out," he added. 'Pieces' Irish coastguards at Rosslare co-ordinated the rescue, and a lifeboat from St Davids in west Wales also went to the scene. A helicopter from RAF Chivenor was also scrambled. The couple were airlifted from the merchant vessel to Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest in Wales where they were treated for slight exposure. The spokesman said: "They are obviously shaken up but they weren't kept in hospital. "Now they are just trying to pick up the pieces." | | Internet links:  The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Top Northern Ireland stories now:  Links to more Northern Ireland stories are at the foot of the page. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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