A yacht has been rescued after it began to take on water, with one of its crew suffering a minor injury.

The 8m motor sailer had run aground off Minnis Bay, Birchington, during its passage from Queenborough to Margate.

Margate’s B class lifeboat was launched at around 4.30pm on Saturday with coastguard rescue teams from Margate and Herne Bay also responding to observe on land.

The vessel was found on an exposed sandbank off Plum Pudding Island between Minnis Bay and Reculver Tower and was experiencing machinery problems.

After providing first aid to one of the yacht crew members, who had injured their hand, the boat started to take on water.

Prior to this, Ramsgate’s all-weather lifeboat had been dispatched to tow the boat.

It was decided the two crew members from Margate should remain on the vessel and the Margate lifeboat continued to escort the convoy to Ramsgate, where they were met by coastguard officers.

Derek Amas, Lifeboat Operations Manager of Margate RNLI, said the situation saw lifeboat crews put their intense training into practice.

He added: “The injury to one of the yacht’s crew and the ingress of water added to their problems.

“Fortunately these complications were managed thanks to the lifeboat crews from Thanet’s two lifeboat stations and local coastguard teams, providing an example of how these elements can integrate to resolve such situations.”