Six rescued from boat off Isle of Mull

SIX people - including four children - were rescued from a sinking yacht off the Scottish coast early today.

Tobermory Bay. Picture: submitted

The Lizzie May issued a Mayday alert after it went aground near Calve Island in Tobermory Bay off the Isle of Mull.

The alarm was raised around 11.45pm on Friday and the crew said it was taking in water.

Oban Lifeboat was launched - as Tobermory Lifeboat was off line at the time - and took the six people from the yacht and landed them at Tobermory, where they were met by waiting coastguards.

The Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Inverness was also launched but not needed to carry out the rescue.

The lifeboat returned to the yacht with a pump and managed to refloat the vessel around 6.30am. It is now in Tobermory for repairs.

A spokeswoman for Stornoway Coastguard, which co-ordinated the rescue, said the sea was slight and the wind force three when the accident happened. None of the people aboard the yacht were injured.