LIFEBOAT crews from Scarborough were involved in a dramatic triple rescue including a man overboard as high winds hit the Yorkshire Coast.

A mayday broadcast from a yacht called the Martinez, sailing from Scarborough to Whitby, was picked up by coastguards shortly after 8am on Sunday.

By the time the crew of volunteers from Scarborough RNLI had launched, the stricken Martinez had managed to drop anchor and was not in imminent danger.

However a spokesman for the RNLI said: “On route to the Martinez the yacht ‘Shameless’ contacted the coastguard saying that they now had a man overboard.

“Scarborough’s lifeboat was diverted by Humber Coastguard to assist the Shameless and at the same time they called out Whitby Lifeboat and the RAF Search and Rescue Helicopter.”

The crew of the Shameless managed to pull their colleague aboard before the arrival of rescue teams, however he was winched up by helicopter and taken to Scarborough Hospital over concerns about the amount of time he had spent in the water.

In another twist a yacht called Bandit contacted the coastguard to request assistance just as the lifeboats from Whitby and Scarborough were pulling the previous two vessels to harbour.

The spokesman said: “Whitby Lifeboat was released from its casualty first so it left the harbour to assist Bandit.

The yacht was located by Whitby Lifeboat and also towed back to Scarborough Harbour. It is understood the three yachts were sailing as a trio when they became caught out by the high winds on Sunday.