TWO people have been rescued from a yacht after it suffered mechanical failure leading it to drift.

Hartlepool RNLI volunteers were alerted at 5.40am on September 27 by Humber Coastguard to assist a 31ft yacht that had suffered mechanical failure.

RNLI crews scrabbled to man the all-weather lifeboat ‘Betty Huntbatch’ and volunteer crew launched at 5.50am to assist the casualty vessel. Two people were on board the stranded vessel which was approximately two miles off the Headland at Hartlepool.

The vessel found at 6.20am and a tow cable attached to take it back to Hartlepool Marina. The vessels arrived back at 6.50am where it was met by the local Hartlepool Coastguard Rescue Team who were waiting to assist with mooring the boat.

Hartlepool RNLI Coxswain Robbie Maiden said: “Conditions were rapidly deteriorating with winds gusting up to 30 miles an hour as we arrived on scene so great teamwork from the crew meant we quickly attached a tow and brought the boat and it’s two crew safely back to Hartlepool Marina.”

The all-weather lifeboat returned to the Ferry Road lifeboat station at 7.20am and was refuelled and made ready to jump into action again.

The volunteer crew returned home or go straight to work, but always remain on alert in case of an emergency at sea.