A COASTGUARD helicopter had to rescue four people from a yacht during a daring 11-hour operation.

The challenging mission was undertaken amid gale force winds and rain while the light was failing on the Buxey Sands, off Shoeburyness.

The yacht had become stuck fast and conditions were worsening.

A mayday call sparked an emergency response from both Burnham RNLI and Walton and Frinton RNLI shortly after 1pm on Monday.

Burnham’s crew managed to get close enough to the 11.5 metre yacht to put a volunteer onboard to check its occupants but there was no prospect of the boat refloating for several hours.

Gazette: Challenging conditions - the view of the seas breaking over the sand bank taken by the casualty boatChallenging conditions - the view of the seas breaking over the sand bank taken by the casualty boat (Image: RNLI)

An RNLI spokesman said: “With light failing and gale force winds and rain the conditions on scene were challenging to all involved.

“Dover Coastguard tasked a UK Coastguard helicopter to airlift the occupants off the stranded craft.

“The Burnham RNLI crew member onboard the yacht prepared the crew for the lift and travelled in the helicopter with them to Clacton airfield where they were met by Clacton Coastguard team members.”

Once all possible risks to life had been removed, the Walton and Frinton crew accompanied Burnham’s back into the River Crouch where they proceeded to base.

However, the Coastguard requested they attempted to retrieve the yacht if possible without endangering themselves.

Gazette: Scary - the conditions inside the grounded yachtScary - the conditions inside the grounded yacht (Image: RNLI)

The spokesman continued: “The coxswain returned to the sands to see whether the anchor which the yachts crew had deployed was holding as the tide rose.

“After some time the yacht broke free of its anchor and was in danger of drifting or potentially breaking up.

“After clearance from the vessels owner to do whatever was required the lifeboat crew managed to rig a line to the vessel and slowly brought her in to Bradwell Marina on the River Blackwater.”

The skipper of the yacht then met the crew alongside the South Woodham Ferrers Coastguard team.

Walton and Frinton’s lifeboat crew eventually made it back to their rough weather mooring in Titchmarsh Marina, Walton Backwaters, just before midnight.

It marked 11 hours since they were initially called.