THREE people were dramatically rescued from a sinking boat today, although a dog tethered on board could not be saved.

Yarmouth Coastguard was called out at 8.15am to a 30ft ex-fishing vessel, Viking, which had lost power 12 miles off the coast of Happisburgh, near Cromer.

The coastguard immediately dispatched the Happisburgh lifeboat but despite repeated attempts to contact them, nothing further was heard from the sinking vessel.

But some time later, radio calls from another vessel in the area speaking to the Viking were picked up, and the coastguard contacted the vessel and asked them to go towards the boat which, by that time, had sunk.

The converted fishing boat was being used as a dive vessel by the three people on board - the skipper, his 14-year-old-son and another diver.

The lifeboat crew saved the people from the 16 degree C water but the dog, tethered on the deck, went down when the ship sank.

An ambulance was waiting at Gorleston lifeboat station to take the three to hospital, but no information is yet available on their condition.

The weather at sea was classed as moderate to rough with a 2.5m swell.