A 62-year-old yachtsman from Slough, Berks drowned after falling over the side of his 27ft boat off the Maplin Sands in Essex on Sunday.

It is believed that after his fall one sleeve of George Grove’s jacket was snagged by the propellor and wound round until he was pulled under and jammed beneath the boat. His crew put out a Mayday call and the Burnham-on-Crouch Inshore lifeboat was called to the scene near the NE Maplin buoy.

The lifeboat had been out on another call – a yacht with a rope around her prop – and were only minutes away. One lifeboatman jumped overboard and cut Mr Grove free. He was then airlifted – with paramedics attending – to Colchester General Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The boat he was motor-sailing on was escorted by lifeboat back to Gillingham Marina on the River Medway in Kent.

An inquest is to be held.