Crew battles heavy seas to save couple

A DRAMATIC lifeboat rescue was launched after a couple in their 50s became ill on board their yacht eight miles off the East Lothian coast.

A lifeboat crew from Dunbar battled through heavy seas to reach the yacht, The Explorer, after the alarm was raised on Saturday night.

Coxswain Jamie Lamb said: "When we arrived at the lifeboat berth at Torness on Saturday night I initially thought there was a chance we would not be able to leave the mooring as the seas were so big.

"It took the best part of an hour to reach her. I was talking to the yacht crew on the radio most of the way there, reassuring them that we were on our way and it was clear they were in trouble."

The lifeboat managed to get alongside the stricken vessel for just long enough to get the couple off and two crew members on board the yacht. The lifeboat then rushed the couple back to shore at Anstruther, where they were met by paramedics and treated in the lifeboat shed.