Three rescued from stricken yacht off Pembrokeshire coast

Three people have been rescued after their yacht broke down in rough seas off the Pembrokeshire coast.

They sent out a mayday at 05:00 BST on Monday after they suffered a broken mast and engine failure five miles west of Ramsey Island.

The St Davids lifeboat was launched and towed the vessel to Fishguard.

The people on board - two men aged 41 and 49 and a 16 year old girl from Maryport, Cumbria - were checked by an ambulance crew.

It is understood they had recently bought the 30ft yacht Kent Venture and were sailing it home from Milford Haven to Workington, Cumbria.

Lifeboat spokesman James Phillips said the party had been suffering in rough conditions.

"We had a bit of a job locating the yacht because the mast was broken and communications were patchy," he said.

"They were okay but the weather out there was pretty poor.

"We had come in close enough for a couple of our crew members to board the yacht with a pump as it was taking on a bit of water."

The three people on board the yacht were first transferred to the St David's lifeboat and then the Fishguard inshore lifeboat as they approached dry land.

An ambulance crew was waiting at the harbour to check them following reports that two members of the party were suffering from hypothermia but they did not need treatment.

The vessel remained at Fishguard harbour for repairs to be carried out in order for the yacht to continue its journey.