Easter drama on the waves for three boats in the Solent

Easter Sunday saw three calls to the Coastguard from vessels in difficulty in the Solent.

The first took place at 10.40am, when a yacht suffered engine failure near Gosport.

The Gosport lifeboat was tasked and towed the vessel back to Gosport Marina.

Shortly after, at 11.20am, another sailing vessel also suffered engine failure in the Solent and the Cowes lifeboat was sent to tow it back to the Isle of Wight.

Then at 1.50pm, two men had to be rescued by safety vessel Smit Stour when their rigid inflatable boat suffered engine failure and it drifted in front of Portsmouth Harbour entrance.

The Smit Stour’s skipper Paul Rhodes and crew member Mark Hamilton work for Boskalis, which is carrying out dredging work in the harbour as part of preparation for the arrival of the navy’s new aircraft carriers.

Keith Woodland, who was nearby, said: ‘The cutter took part in the dramatic rescue of two sailors whose dinghy engine appeared to have failed and they found themselves trapped by the saluting platform, Old Portsmouth.

‘The strong waves and proximity to the sea wall gave a few problems, but the cutter managed to get a line two the sailors and pull them clear. They were then taken onboard and taken to safety.’