Five people had to be rescued from the Solent on Sunday after their 16ft speedboat began sinking in the Solent.

A large search began for the vessel after the coastguard received a 999 call reporting that the engine had failed and because of the weather conditions, it was now taking on water.

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No one on board was able to provide a clear position, partly a result of having no positioning equipment or navigational aids.

Lifeboats from Gosport, Hamble and Ryde, along with the Portsmouth RNLI lifeboat conducted a search through the central Solent.

The coastguard rescue helicopter based at Lee on Solent began an initial search and was spotted by the vessel, allowing them to determine their location.

The group were then found by both the lifeboats and the helicopter and all onboard were transferred to Hamble lifeboat where the paramedic from the coastguard helicopter carried out initial medical assessments.

They were later transferred to Lee on Solent, where they were met by Hill Head Coastguard Rescue Team and an awaiting ambulance.

Senior maritime operations officer Steve Mann, said: “If you’re going out to sea, make sure you’re properly prepared and that you have some way of being located if you get into difficulty.

“VHF DSC sets are readily available. When you use them, we can then pinpoint your location and get to you more quickly.”