Lifeboat crew pulls elderly sailor from North Sea

AN RNLI team rescued an elderly German sailor who plunged into the North Sea to free his yacht after it was snagged in lobster pots.

The 75-year-old struggled to free the vessel, which was en route from Dunbar to Leith, before calling in rescuers at around 7.30am on Wednesday.

Dunbar Lifeboat brought the man to dry land, its fourth launch in a week.

Coxswain Gary Fairbairn said: "It was a lovely day but by the time we were on scene he was feeling the effects of his early-morning dip.

"We bought him on board the lifeboat and gave him some hot tea while our crew tried to free his propeller. We were unable to and cut it free then towed him back to the harbour."

On Tuesday we told how an Australian pensioner was rescued by the Dunbar team from cruise ship MS Eurodam in the Firth of Forth after he stopped breathing.