Urgent rescue effort underway to assist a British yacht in trouble at sea in north-west Spain

Coastguard officials are mounting a rescue effort concerning a British yacht believed to be in trouble at sea in the north-west of Spain.

A beacon alert was received for the UK-registered 10-metre yacht Helena in an area 500 miles north-west of Cape Finisterre at around 12.20 am today, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said.

It is understood that two vessels were on their way to assist, but the yacht’s location meant the nearest craft able to help was 22 hours away, it added, a French maritime patrol aircraft has also been dispatched to search the area.

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