THREE anglers were plucked to safety yesterday morning as their fishing vessel sank quickly about one and a half miles off the coast of Lowestoft.

THREE anglers were plucked to safety yesterday morning as their fishing vessel sank quickly about one and a half miles off the coast of Lowestoft.

Two men and a woman were on board the 18ft fishing vessel, Kerri Louise Two, when it started to take on water suddenly.

The crew of the Trinity House vessel Alert was carrying out survey work in the area when they noticed the boat in difficulty at about 10.15am and called Yarmouth coastguard.

Captain of the Alert Roger Swinney said: “The boat was only about 200m away from us. We could see the crew were trying to bail her out but she was sinking fast.”

He put a boat in the water to go to the rescue but another local fishing craft, Boisterous Spirit, was quicker on the scene and rescued the crew just before the vessel sank beneath the waves.

The three crew members were taken back to port where Kerri Louise Two had been moored at Lowestoft Haven Marina.

A marina spokesman said later they were too shaken to speak of their experience.

A passing RNLI lifeboat, en route from Harwich to Hull, had been mobilised to go to the rescue if needed.

A coastguard spokesman said they had no information as to why the vessel sank. The sea was quite calm.

Lowestoft Lifeboat spokesman Mike Richford said: “The people rescued were very lucky and had many things go right for them after they called for help.

“Our Lifeboat did not have to launch as two vessels and a RNLI Lifeboat on passage were nearby at the time. Although it was cold, there was little wind and sea conditions were good.

“The crew of the angling boat were able to get the people safely off the sinking vessel giving the happy outcome everyone hopes for when something like this happens.”