*Click the green play button to see some video footage showing the yacht out at sea.

Shoreham's offshore lifeboat launched in gale force eight winds on Sunday afternoon (June 22) to the 52ft vessel called Akka Akka which had sent out a Mayday distress call off Worthing with four people on board.

The woman's husband had suffered two broken ribs on board and was found it difficult to steer the yacht in the worsening sea conditions.

The lifeboat found the boat about two miles south of Widewater at Lancing with heavy seas breaking over the vessel threatening to swamp it.

Take command

Two lifeboat crew were put on board to take command of the vessel and the coastguard helicopter hovered overhead in case the injured skipper and his eight-and-a-half months pregnant wife, needed to be evacuated.

The yacht was escorted into Shoreham Harbour where an ambulance crew was waiting to check the casualties over.

Shoreham lifeboat spokesman Dave Cassan said: "The RNLI always encourage anyone in command of a boat to take into consideration forecast weather and sea conditions before setting out on a passage.

"We need to remind the master of any vessel taking to sea that they should take into account not only their own ability, but the safety and general welfare of any inexperienced crew or guests on board."

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