Rough seas contributed to the awful incident (Picture: BNPS)
Two boats were involved in a devastating crash and a sailor was thrown overboard during a yacht race.
A man was flung from a boat as competitors battled rough seas during the Round the Island Race in the Isle of Wight today.
He then desperately clung onto his life jacket before being rescued.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) rushed to his aid to pull him from the water despite the extreme conditions.
His condition is not yet known.
It’s thought that at least one of the boats involved capsized.
Wind speeds soared to 64mph before the shocking incident happened off Yarmouth.
The event, which sees boaters sail 50 miles around the Isle of Wight, normally attracts one of the largest fleets of any yacht race.
But the severe weather had a major impact this morning with 418 yachts retiring and just 153 finishing the race.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.