TWO stranded sailors on board a sinking boat found drowning in water had to be rescued during a dramatic mission.

Fast thinking volunteers from the Walton and Frinton RNLI leapt into action on Tuesday afternoon after receiving reports of a damaged vessel.

The Dover Coastguard had informed the lifeboat crew that an angling boat, located four miles from the team’s station, needed urgent assistance.

After bouncing of the Gunfleet sands and sustaining substantial damage, the vessel had started to sink.

The boat, which was travelling to Rye, in East Sussex, had also lost all steerage and was filling up with a worrying amount of water.

The onboard water pump, however, luckily managed to hold out long enough for the lifeboat crew, using the Irene Muriel Rees, to tow it to the Walton Backwaters.

After arriving at the Titchmarsh Marina, the vessel was immediately lifted out of the water to prevent it sinking and to check for any damage.

Although the two men escaped the ordeal unscathed, Karl Bigwood, station mechanic, believes the crash could have had a more serious outcome.

“Although the initial call seemed fairly routine, the situation became much more urgent once we found they were taking on substantial amounts of sea water,” he said.

“With their pump running only on battery it could quickly have turned very serious had the batteries failed or been swamped.

“Things could have changed very quickly to an operation to save those on board.”

A spokesman for the Walton and Frinton RNLI has now urged sailors and those out on the water to remain cautious of the dangers the sea poses.

They said: “The RNLI points out that during the coronavirus emergency our lifeboats will continue to launch to those in peril at sea.

“We urge you to follow government instructions. But if you are at the coast, please take extra care and follow safety advice.”