FIVE people had to be rescued from a 16 ft sinking boat, which had lost power, near the Ailsa Craig on Saturday.

At 6.48pm on Saturday, August 6 the casualties had to be rescued by Girvan lifeboat volunteers as well as the Prestwick Coastguard from worsening sea conditions.

Girvan Lifeboat’s volunteer crew's pagers were activated by Belfast Coastguard in response to a 999 call.

The final casualty was winched from the water by the helicopter which arrived just before the lifeboat and just as the vessel sank.

They were checked over by on board paramedics on the way back to Girvan, despite being wet and cold they appeared healthy and in good spirits, and did not require further medical attention.

The Girvan all-weather lifeboat remained on scene to retrieve the floating debris from the sunken boat before making its way back to Girvan.

The Coastguard helicopter landed at McCreath park where it was met by Girvan coastguard rescue team and Police Scotland, the casualties were then taken to the Coastguard station before returning home.

Girvan Lifeboat arrived back in Girvan at 8:15pm where it was refuelled and made ready for service.

A spokesman for the RNLI said: "Although the vessel was lost, five lives were saved in this instance, another few minutes and it could have been a very different outcome."