The couple, from Pontefract, had been sailing on the river when their 26ft yacht crashed into a large metal buoy known as the Whitton Light Float.The incident, which occurred at around 1pm, caused the yacht to sink within a matter of seconds and forced the pair to cling to the buoy that they had crashed into.Emergency services were contacted from their mobile phones and Humber rescue went to the aid of the couple.

Neither of the sailors needed hospital treatment and the yacht was recovered, allowing the pair to retrieve any valuables that had been onboard.

Crewmember Jon Wray told the Hull Daily Mail: “Incidents of this nature show the value of volunteer emergency workers. Although we all have jobs to do, our pride in Humber Rescue drives us forward as a team when a call for help comes in.”