A sailor has survived after jumping overboard and swimming ashore in an attempt to save his yacht.

On Wednesday afternoon the singlehander was sailing from the East Coast to Wales and was trying to hoist his sails near Dover in strong winds, when he started drifting towards St Margaret’s Cliff.

His solution was to jump over the side and scramble over the rocks to raise the alarm.

A Dover Coastguard spokesman has condemned his actions. He said: ‘He is very lucky to have got out of this relatively unscathed.’

The man was taken to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate by ambulance with concussion but he was discharged the next day.

The 28ft yacht, called Egret, has now been declared a Constructive Total Loss.

Dover’s duty harbourmaster Nigel Stokes said: ‘The remote location of the stranding was giving cause for concern as to any successful recovery operation being put in place.

‘Egret is now breaking up where she lies with all valuables and personal belongings having already been removed.

‘It is heartbreaking to see such a lovely craft meet such a sad end in this way.’

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