Twenty-one crew members have been rescued from a yacht taking part in the Fastnet Race, after keel loss struck its hopes of taking monohull line honours.

The Rambler 100 maxi overturned 12 miles off the Irish coast after 1830 last night, having just rounded the race’s eponymous rock.

16 crew members were rescued by the Baltimore lifeboat from the upturned hull. Five crew members were briefly missing, but tethered themselves together and were rescued from the water.

One was airlifted to hospital, but all crew members were ‘cold, but healthy, happy, safe and well’.

Rambler 100 is owned and skippered by George David, the former chairman and chief executive of the listed US technology company, United Technologies Corporation and was one of the pre-race favourites in its class.

As Rambler‘s hopes were disappearing, 140-foot trimaran Maxi Banque Populaire was smashing the 22-year race record, crossing the line in Plymouth at 1948, having averaged more than 18 knots since leaving Cowes alongside the 314-strong fleet on Sunday.

A spokeswoman for the Irish coast guard said the weather conditions were foggy, but the sea was not very rough.

A woman was airlifted to Tralee Hospital in County Kerry from a different yacht because she needed medical attention.

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Photo courtesy of RNLI/Nigel Millard.