Eleven people have been rescued from the water after a boat carrying divers capsized.

The Lowestoft lifeboat was scrambled into action to help the stricken divers close to the entrance to Lowestoft harbour shortly after midday.

Yarmouth Coastguard received a call from Lowestoft Harbour Control at 12:12pm informing them that the dive boat was a quarter of a nautical mile east of the harbour and the boat was sinking by the stern and people were in the water.

Dave Moore, Watch Officer, Yarmouth Coastguard, said: “The Lowestoft RNLI all weather lifeboat was exercising in the area and was in fortunate position to be able to be on scene rapidly and retrieve all 11 people from the water. They have been taken to the lifeboat station and will be given medical assistance. The Lowestoft lifeboat will return to the wreckage site to clear the debris from the water.”

The weather conditions on scene were calm with a light south westerly wind and sunny.

The East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) said it sent three rapid response vehicles and one ambulance to the scene, and ambulance crews assessed all 11 patients. Four had minor injuries and were taken by ambulance to the James Padget Hospital in Gorleston.

The remaining seven patients were uninjured but cold from being in the water. They were re-warmed at the scene and did not require hospital treatment.