TWO men were rescued from a stricken yacht in a dramatic rescue operation at the weekend. The 23ft yacht, Déjà vu, was taking on water five miles off West Mersea leaving the boat at "serious risk" of sinking.

TWO men were rescued from a stricken yacht in a dramatic rescue operation at the weekend.

The 23ft yacht, Déjà vu, was taking on water five miles off West Mersea leaving the boat at "serious risk" of sinking.

The two-man crew sailed out of Bradwell on Saturday morning but disaster struck shortly afterwards when the steel centreboard swung down and cracked a large hole in the hull.

West Mersea RNLI Lifeboat, a rescue helicopter and a Clacton coastguard unit were all dispatched to the emergency.

When West Mersea' lifeboat crew arrived at 2:30pm the men onboard were desperately trying to bale water.

One member of the lifeboat crew went aboard the Déjà vu and quickly started clearing water.

A spokesman for West Mersea lifeboat said: "Mersea lifeboat went out with a salvage pump and the coastguard helicopter was also called but that was turned back.

"Several yachts were in the area at the time and went to the assistance of the Déjà vu which was taking water on board fairly quickly and the chap on board who was baling water was quite frightened.

"It would have sank had there been no help, it is difficult to say how quickly but there was six inches of water on the cabin floor before the lifeboat reached them."

Both crew members were uninjured in the drama and the lifeboat then towed the yacht to the safety of Brightlingsea harbour where it was winched onto dry land.