Six in rescue drama after yacht hits rock

TWO adults and four children had to be rescued after a yacht struck a rock off the Argyll coast.

The rescue, which lasted nearly eight hours, began at 6:45pm on Wednesday.

The family were on board a chartered Dufour yacht when it struck a rock in the entrance to the popular anchorage Tinker's Hole, by the island of Erraid on south-west Mull. The yacht, Shadowfax, damaged her rudder, but struggled into the anchorage.

However, with six other boats anchored in Tinker's Hole, it was impossible for the Oban lifeboat to take the stricken yacht alongside.

Shadowfax, using her minimal steering ability, motored out to the lifeboat and a tow was set up.

A crew-member joined the parents while the four children were transferred to the lifeboat and, after a "slow tow at about five knots in a nasty 5ft sea", the yacht reached Oban at 2:25am yesterday morning a lifeboat spokesman said.