Sailor rescued clinging to upturned hull

The upturned vessel was located south west of the Needles

A sailor has been rescued from an upturned yacht in rough seas off the Isle of Wight.

Solent Rescue Lifeboat said it was called, along with Freshwater Independent Lifeboat and the coastguard helicopter, after a mayday call shortly before 11:00 BST on Saturday.

In sea conditions described as "challenging", a passing Border Force vessel, HMC Valiant, located the vessel two nautical miles south of the Needles, with the sole occupant clinging to an upturned hull.

The man, who was wearing a lifejacket, was recovered by the Solent Rescue crew and transferred to the Valiant for a medical assessment before being taken to Yarmouth. The sailing vessel sank.