St Ives all-weather lifeboat The Princess Royal was launched just after 7am yesterday morning after a Dutch sailing yacht became caught fast on fishing gear 3.7 nautical miles north west of St Ives.

The Dutch pleasure vessel Balta had crab rope round its propeller and was stranded off the Carracks.

The conditions were pleasant and the St Ives RNLI lifeboat under the command of coxswain Paul Whiston was reached the stranded boat within 18 minutes.

An RNLI spokesperson said: "Dutch speaking crewman, David Holland-Kemp jumped aboard the vessel and cut the line that was holding the boat to the sea bed. Once securely attached to the lifeboat the yacht was towed back to St Ives bay arriving at around 8.50 am."

The Balta is currently moored in St Ives bay and awaiting transfer to the harbour to remove the entangle ropes from its propeller.