Numerous reports of a red flare alerted Brixham Coastguard to a fatal man overboard incident off the South West coast.

The man in his 40s had fallen from a yacht and his crewmember had set off the flare.

The flare was sighted in the entrance of the River Yealm and Plymouth Coastguard rescue team responded just after 2pm on Wednesday, along with the coastguard rescue helicopter from Portland and the Plymouth
RNLI lifeboat.

A yacht called Oryex, which had joined in the search of the water, located the casualty. He was airlifted to hospital but sadly could not be saved.

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesman said: ‘A man had fallen overboard from a yacht.

‘The remaining crew member on the yacht
set off a red flare. The man was found in the water by a yacht called Oryex
that had joined the search.

‘The casualty was winched into the Coastguard
helicopter and was taken to Derriford Hospital. The remaining crew member was
taken by Plymouth Lifeboat to the lifeboat station then onto Derriford Hospital
and the yacht was taken to Mayflower Marina.

‘The man in his mid 40s, has
been pronounced dead at hospital.’

Picture: The Plymouth RNLI lifeboat in action. Credit: RNLI