Lifeboat crew rescues sailor as boat sinks

A lifeboat crew has rescued a lone yachtsman whose vessel ran aground on rocks on the Suffolk coast.

Lowestoft RNLI said volunteers were called out at 04:41 GMT on Monday to help a sailor in trouble a short distance from Lowestoft harbour entrance.

The all-weather Shannon-class lifeboat reached the yacht, which was near rocks on the seaward side and adjacent to Hamilton Dock, the recue service said.

According to the RNLI, the sailor had set off in his 10m (32ft) yacht from the River Orwell, near Felixstowe, two days ago, heading for north Norfolk, but had got lost and suffered seasickness.

The lifeboat crew found the vessel, with waves breaking over it, firmly aground with its keel wedged in the rocks.

The coxswain manoeuvred the lifeboat bow towards the stranded yacht and the crew managed to pull the sailor on to the lifeboat and to safety, the service said in a post on social media.

The sailor was taken to the lifeboat station where he was met by police and a Coastguard rescue team.

He suffered no physical injuries but was said to be very wet.

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