Couple rescued from sinking yacht in Irish Sea

A married couple had to be airlifted to safety overnight after their yacht sank in the Irish Sea.

A married couple had to be airlifted to safety overnight after their yacht 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.

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 11 p.m. last night.

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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.

"They didn't know where the water was coming from. It was all very quick after that.

Irish coastguards at Rosslare co-ordinated the rescue, but a lifeboat from St Davids in west Wales went to the scene and a helicopter from RAF Chivenor was also scrambled.

The couple were airlifted from the merchant vessel to Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest where they were treated for slight exposure.

PA