A Sussex man was among the crew of a stricken superyacht evacuated in the middle of the Atlantic yesterday.

Graham Goff, 40, of Chichester, was with the seven-strong team rescued from the storm-damaged catamaran Team Phillips.

The crew members were taken aboard the German cargo ship Hoechst Express, which battled through high waves and 50-knot winds to reach the vessel.

The rescue took place about 800 miles west of Ireland. All crew members from the £4 million vessel, including skipper Pete Goss, are safe and well.

Coastguards issued a mayday alert early yesterday asking ships to assist the ocean racer after it was battered by giant waves in storm-force gales as it crossed the ocean.

A series of large waves damaged the yacht's central pod, affecting the crew's ability to turn the boat.

Mark Orr, managing director of Goss Challenges, said he could not guarantee the crew's safety if they were left on board.

Former boat builder and sail maker Mr Goff, 40, is responsible for the Team Philips' giant sails, which he helped develop and make.

Mr Goff was born in Bognor and now lives in Chichester with Karen and their two children.

The 120ft vessel is the size of the centre court at Wimbledon and cost £4m to build. It was unveiled by the Queen in March but suffered a series of accidents during sea trials.

Mr Goss and his crew had been due to arrive in Monaco on Wednesday to join other competitors in The Race, a non-stop, round-the-world event starting from Barcelona on December 31.