Five saved as stranded yacht sinks on rising tide Both of Harwich's lifeboats were involved in a service to the yacht Pollyanna last August when she grounded on the Cork Sands and eventually rolled over while a lifeboat crew member, a helicopter winch man and the yacht's skipper were still aboard and then sank.

Pollyanna had been returning from a day's sail when she ended up to the south of her intended course and touched the Cork Sands, about six miles offshore, at about 1500 on 26 August 1996.

Unable to sail or motor off she informed the Coastguard of her situation and settled down to wait for the tide to float her off. For an hour and a half all was well but as she began to float and swing round head to wind two large swells came behind the sands and dropped her hard on the bottom.

Water started to appear in the bilge and was rising faster than the pumps could handle, so Pollyanna put out a Mayday.

Thames Coastguard immediately contacted Harwich lifeboat station and by 1843 the Atlantic inshore lifeboat was under way, with the station's then Waveney class John F/sonfollowing five minutes later.

The Atlantic was first on the scene about 15minutes later to find Pollyanna with a foot of water in the cabin and the crew inflating their dinghy. Four of them were taken aboard the inshore lifeboat while a lifeboatman went aboard the yacht. A rescue helicopter had now arrived with a portable pump, so with the water rising steadily the lifeboat peeled off to receive the pump and helicopter winchman.

They were transferred to the yacht, but before pumping could begin the pilot called down to advise abandoning the vessel as she was rolling over and sinking.

The three men jumped into the water to keep clear of the mast and rigging as the yacht rolled over, but the Atlantic's radio aerial suffered some damage as it descended on her. It is believed that the yacht's keel had become detached as she pounded on the sand, causing her to roll over quickly.

The Atlantic picked up the men in the water, transferring the skipper and the four survivors already aboard to the recently arrived Waveney, before returning to place a marker buoy over the wreck.

With everyone safe both lifeboats were able to return to Harwich, the survivors being landed by the Waveney at Suffolk Yacht Harbour - their home base - before returning to the station at 2050, 30 minutes after the Atlantic..