THREE people were airlifted to hospital as lifeboat crews responded to a distress signal from an emergency locator beacon.
Volunteers from Walton and Frinton RNLI launched its lifeboat at 3.30am on Tuesday and arrived at the location 12 miles east of Walton pier.
Three people were located and airlifted by HM coastguard search and rescue helictoper to hospital at around 4.30am, all have since been discharged.
A spokeswoman for Walton and Frinton RNLI said: “We were called to the scene 12 miles east of Walton pier as a yacht had gone aground with three people on board.
“They set off their emergency beacon and our crews as well as Harwich and HM coastguard search and rescue helicopter responded.
“The helicopter arrived first and found three people already on the casualty life raft who were then airlifted to hospital.”
Walton and Harwich lifeboats attended and Walton lifeboat returned to the pier at around 7am with the casualty life raft.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here