A DRAMATIC rescue took place as a yacht was battered by 100mph gusts and rough seas during a thunderstorm.

A member of crew suffered a serious head injury onboard the 37ft sailing catamaran after it was hit by an 87-knot gust off the coast of Sussex.

Lifeboats were dispatched at 2.52am yesterday morning after the boat reported that all navigation aids had been lost and its sails and rigging had been ripped.

An all-weather lifeboat with volunteer crew and made "best speed" towards the yacht, which had three people on board and was five nautical miles southeast of Selsey Bill.

The Argus: Sailors battered in thunderstorm rescued by Selsey Lifeboats

As the volunteer crew headed towards the yacht, the skipper reported that one crew member had sustained a minor head injury but was OK.

At 3.19am the lifeboat arrived on scene and the coxswain, Rob Archibald, decided a tow it back to Chichester harbour.

They set a course for the coast at 3.28am but at 3.50am the skipper reported another crewman had sustained a serious head injury.

The coxswain decided to stop towing immediately and send someone onto the yacht to assess the injury.

The Argus: Sailors battered in thunderstorm rescued by Selsey Lifeboats

The rescuer, who was trained in caring for casualties, checked over the injured man and dressed his wound.

They then continued to tow the yacht back to the harbour where they were met by an ambulance.

A spokesman for the RNLI Selsey Lifeboat Station said: "There was no requirement for immediate evacuation, so the tow was established once again at 4.02am and a course set for Chichester harbour with the casualty with the head injury being monitored at all times and the lifeboat requested an ambulance meet them on arrival at the harbour.

"At 5.10am the Chichester harbour entrance was reached, and the tow continued into the harbour. At 5.50am the vessel was safely berthed alongside at Sparkes marina with the assistance of Hayling Coastguard rescue team."

The crew who saved the vessel were Coxswain Rob Archibald, Mechanic Andy Lee, Colin Pullenger, James Albrey, Harry Emmence and Neil Hopcraft.

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